The Protector
by Istillwishiwasaweasley
Summary: "You want me to look after an eighteen year old witch and her baby, are you serious, Dad?" Charlie Weasley has a new mission for the Order, this one doesn't involve fighting, but it will be just as challenging. The sequel to The Deal.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Charlie

I wake up with a brutal hangover again but at least I'm alone in my bed. How I got back to my flat is sketchy but at least I didn't bring Evie. It took three days to get rid of her last time. I groan and reach out hoping to find a hangover potion, Bill has been quite good at sending them lately, but my hand only finds an almost empty bottle of Firewhisky.

I sit up and hold my head with one hand while my other tries to find my wand, it's under the pillow of course, the war is never far from my mind even when I'm pissed. I summon a hangover potion and take a dose before collapsing back against the pillows.

It takes another hour for me to get up, at least it's a Sunday. I have a quick shower and then make an omelette that my mother would call burnt, I prefer to call it crispy. I think Ron is the only one of us that is a worse cook than me.

I stop my thoughts because making me thing of Ron makes me think of the others, makes me think of Fred. I eat my brunch and read the paper, I never used to read the Prophet in Romania but since the war I feel like I need to make more of an effort.

Kingsley seems to be doing a good job with the Ministry but the Death Eater trials are taking longer than anyone suspected. I just want the bastards locked up or dead, no in between. I find a quote from my Dad about abolishing the anti-Muggle laws and feel a rush of pride and then guilt when I think of him.

Pride because he finally has a job where he can really make a difference, and guilt because I know he wanted me to stay in England rather than run back to Romania as soon as the funerals were over.

I put my plate in the overflowing sink and then look out of the window, the view is stunning as always. Winter is starting to close in on the Carpathian Mountains and soon the view will be all white rather than green. My flat is in a complex full of Dragon trainers and associated Dragon workers on the Bucegi Plateau in central Romania.

Muggles think this part of the mountains are too dangerous to climb when in fact it is one of the largest Dragon breeding ground in the world, and the biggest in Europe. When I first moved here I lived in a tent for two years for my initial training but now I'm fully qualified, and even a supervisor, I'm allowed a small two bedroom flat.

I look around at my flat and the shame I felt earlier creeps back. It's a mess, bottles everywhere and I haven't cleaned properly since the war. I contemplate cleaning up but my Floo alarm distracts me and I'm hoping that it's not my mother, I don't want to see the flat like this.

"Charlie, you here son?" It's my Dad, I grab my robe from the bathroom and put it on before walking into the living room, it's even messier in here.

"Hi Dad, sorry about the mess, wasn't expecting anyone." My Dad's head turns and I see him examine the room, his forehead creases but I pretend not to notice.

"Can I come through?" I'm surprised by this, either Mom is really worried and has sent Dad on a mission, or something has happened.

"Sure, tea?" His body squeezes through the fireplace and he straightens up. I stand up and we embrace, we do this more since the war, even Ron and Percy.

"Coffee if you have it."

I make the drinks and he sits at the table and picks up the paper.

"Here you go, I saw the article, good work."

"Oh, thanks. I didn't know you got the Prophet."

"I didn't used to." I reply, sitting opposite him. "So, how is everyone?"

"Oh well, everyone's well. Fleur's getting big, she's been a bit ill this week but I think she's getting through it…" He goes through every other family member, including Harry and Hermione, but leaves out himself.

"Great, how are you?"

"Me? Oh fine, yes fine thank you. How are you?" He asks, looking at the pile of washing up and the mouldy bread on the counter.

"Good, busy week though. It's not usually like this."

"I'm sure it's not. Anyway, I need to talk to you about something."

"I guessed, what is it?"

"Do you read the Prophet every day?"

"Most days, why?"

"Did you read about Lavender Brown?" The name is familiar and I remember why. When I read her story and realised it could have been Ginny I drank for the whole night and then couldn't get rid of Evie for a week, I was a mess. I try and keep my expression neutral.

"Yeah, couldn't believe it. Poor kid."

"I know, she's been through hell."

"What about her though?"

"She was attacked at Hogwarts yesterday, taken back into the room that she was held in and left there..."

"Fuck, who by?"

"Minerva doesn't know, they questioned Lavender but she was attacked from behind and she's really shook up…"

"I bet she is, can't believe that kids did that to her!"

"There are a few relatives of accused men in the school and Bill and Minerva are trying to investigate who it was but the issue is…she's not safe at Hogwarts anymore."

"Poor girl, she had a baby as well right?"

"Yeah, Dora, named after Tonks." That was not expected. I went to school with Tonks, we were best friends until I came to Romania.

"Charlie?"

"Sorry Dad, I wasn't expecting that. Why are you telling me this?"

"Kingsley and Minerva want the Order to protect her, she's not safe at Hogwarts and they want to fake her death to try and protect her."

"Good idea, it's not like she'd be able to escape her past, work at the Ministry or anything…"

"Exactly. We want to give her, and the baby, a new identity and get them out of Britain for a bit, until the trials are over and things calm down…" I'm nodding my head in agreement before I realise why he's here.

"Here? Seriously Dad, you want to move them here?" I ask, astounded.

"Think about it Charlie, Lavender's been through enough, the Order needs to protect her and she won't be able to be free…"

"You want me to look after an eighteen year old witch and her baby, are you serious, Dad?"

"Charlie, you're a member of the Order of the Phoenix…."

"Yeah, to fight You-Know-Who and…" I'm stood up and running my hands through my unwashed hair.

"We owe her, Charlie! If it wasn't her in that room it would have been Ginny, Voldemort was going to get her next…"

"DON'T!" I yell, that's a low blow from him, he knows I think the world of Gin.

"It would have been Ginny, she protected her for seven months!"

"Why me? You might not have noticed Dad, but I'm not exactly together right now!" I gesture to the mess around me.

"Please Charlie, this is your mission for the Order, you took the oath. We need to protect them, we owe her!" I look at my Dad and then realise how much trust the Order is putting in me.

"Charlie, this is your chance to make a difference, a real difference." That hurts, I tried to help with the Order but I know I could have done more. If I do this will I really be able to sleep without dreaming of Fred and his coffin being lowered into the ground?

"Okay, when?" I find myself saying, almost mechanically.

"We'll bring them tonight, get the place decent. We'll give you money for their upkeep, the Brown family is rich enough and we need to think of a cover story, but Charlie…she's…she's damaged, okay? You're going to need to be strong for her, can you do that?"

I find myself nodding, I must be crazy.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I land smoothly although my head still feels like I'm back in the hospital wing. Dora wakes and starts crying so I let go of the portkey book and try to comfort her.

"Get out alright?" I look up at the unfamiliar voice. He is tall and has red hair, Weasley-red hair. This must be the one Weasley I haven't met, no wonder they didn't tell me where I was going, I can't even bear going to the Burrow and now I'm faking my death with one of them.

"Fine, it was very fast though, are you alright, Lavender?" Asks Mr Weasley, I nod and look around. It's a small living room with an overstuffed sofa, a small desk, a coffee table and a leather armchair that appears to be the only new thing in the room. It reminds me of the Burrow.

"Where are we?" I ask, Dora is still screaming but I need answers.

"Charlie, can you make some tea?" Mr Weasley asks and his son disappears. I sit down on the armchair, still feeling completely dazed.

Dora starts to quieten and Charlie returns with a tray of mismatched mugs and a pot of tea and puts it on the coffee table, Mr Weasley pours it and Dora finally drifts off.

"I know this has all been very quick and you haven't… Have you met?" I shake my head.

"I'm Charlie Weasley, younger than Bill but older than the others." Charlie says, with a brave stab at humour, I nod.

"Lavender Brown." I reply, feeling sick.

"Well, not anymore. We've come up with a cover story but you'll have to play your parts well, especially at the beginning."

"What's the story?" Charlie asks.

"You'll obviously stay as you are but we're going to fake Lavender's death…"

"What? I didn't know…"

"It's the only way." I say, interrupting Charlie.

"It is son, Minerva and Bill are dealing with that side of things. We need a new name for you and Dora, any ideas?"

"Umm…" I try and think of Dora first and remember a name from my childhood games, pretending to be a Mummy to baby dolls with Flo. "I like Tabitha, for Dora."

"Okay, that's good. What about you?" I shrug.

"No idea?"

"Amber, maybe…it's still a colour though." Flo used to call some of the dolls Amber, she loved colour names, part of me has always wondered if she was the one who named me and not my parents, it wouldn't surprise me.

"It's far enough away, we can give you a common surname, Smith or Jones…"

"Jones is okay." I say and Mr Weasley nods.

"Excellent, Amber Jones it is then. Now for the story, we're going to alter your appearance slightly, with glamour's for the time being, we can make you look a bit older."

"Can you get rid of the scars?" I ask, still desperate for a clean slate, I don't want Amber Jones to have scars.

"No, sorry they're cursed."

"It's winter here though, trust me you'll be wrapping up warm so no one will see them." Says Charlie, indicating outside, I look at the window and see mountains.

"Where are we?"

"Romania, Carpathian Mountains Dragon reserve." He says and I must look shocked because Mr Weasley looks worried.

"I know it's a lot to take in…"

"A lot to take it? Half an hour ago I was asleep in the hospital wing!" I exclaim.

"I know, we'll establish the story and then you can get some rest. Poppy warned us to try and get you to rest for a few days."

"I… I didn't get to say goodbye to her." I say, suddenly feeling terrible for not realising it sooner.

"I know, she'll write. Anyway, cover story. We think it's best if we pretend that you used to be a couple, if we age you up by a couple of years, early twenties. Pretend you used to date and then split up and then you realised you were pregnant…"

"It will have to be a one-night-stand, Dad. I had a girlfriend last year."

"Did you?" Mr Weasley looks surprised.

"Yeah, we're not together now but…."

"Will she be upset?"

"I'll deal with it, don't worry. Just make it a one-night-stand when I was home last year, all the thought of impending doom and all that…" Charlie tails off and I nod, it will be easier than pretending we had a relationship.

"Okay, fine. One-night-stand, then Amber realised she was pregnant and now she's tracked you down and she's staying with you because she has no family." I nod, my parents disowned me anyway.

"What about work?" I ask.

"Well, you won't be able to…"

"I mean what do we tell people I did?" I ask.

"Oh, sometime unassuming, waitressing or bar work, something along those lines."

"Works for me, we met in a bar, got drunk and ending up with…Tabitha." He says, gesturing towards Dora.

"Okay, is that alright with you?" Mr Weasley asks, looking at me. I nod but secretly I'm terrified.

"I'll show you your room, have you got the crib for Tabitha?" Charlie says, standing up.

"I've got it all." Says Mr Weasley and we both stand up.

My room is small with a single bed and a dressing table, Mr Weasley stretches it with a spell to make more room for the crib and the expands the bag with my clothes and things and puts them on the floor.

"Fleur packed for you, we need to try and keep the contact normal, once a week but obviously if there's an emergency then don't hesitant to contact us. Poppy has sent your potion regime and some prescriptions, she also mentioned some books, probably baby books, and they're in here." He says, patting a bag that I don't recognise. I nod and put Dora down in the crib.

"Are you okay?" He asks kindly.

"Yeah… just a bit overwhelmed. What about the trials?"

"I don't know yet."

"They won't be free, will…"

"I don't know, most of them are cut and dry but…"

"Oh my…" I hold my stomach and sit down on the bed so I don't collapse.

"Don't worry, you will be safe. Charlie will look after you, and you can start a new life here, keep up with the cover story, okay?" I nod, wanting more reassurance than that.

"I've got to go, I'll see you next week. Stay strong, Amber." I nod and he leaves. I hear him talk to Charlie and then apparate away.

"You alright?" Asks Charlie, standing in the doorway and looking at me like I might explode.

"Yeah…just a shock." Charlie nods and I realise that he can't have had more than a few hours' notice. "Thanks for… taking me in."

"Don't mention it, I know what you did, I'll protect you. Get some sleep, I'll call in sick tomorrow so we can talk, get our head round everything, do the glamour charms, and get to know each other." I nod and he leaves.

I lie down on my new bed and my mind is racing, what in Merlin's name has just happened?

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

I don't get to sleep until seven, the baby woke once but Lavender was crying until six. I wasn't sure whether to go and see her but decided against it. Its ten now and I've called in sick giving them vague reasons of a stomach bug, hopefully it will hold up and keep them from checking on me.

The baby starts crying again and I stand up wondering if I should go to her but then the crying stops. I walk into the kitchen and point my wand at the kettle. I know my mind is still reeling from everything but Lavender's face last night will be burnt in my mind forever, she looked completely broken. I keep imagining Ginny looking like that but I can't, I just see her lying dead.

Footsteps from behind me break this depressing line of thought and I turn to see Lavender holding the baby, she is still in her nightclothes but with a red dressing gown wrapped tightly around herself.

"Morning, tea?" I ask, Merlin this is weird.

"Yes please. Could I get some water, for the baby formula?"

"Of course, did you find the bathroom alright?" I ask, moving aside as she puts the bottle under the sink and tries to keep hold of the baby, I take the bottle off her to help, and also because her hands are shaking. "Here, I'll do it. How much?"

"Thanks, just up to the line." I fill it and then put the lid back on and shake it, she steps back and the baby starts crying again. "Sssh, it's coming." She says softly, kissing the baby's head.

"Is that enough?" I ask, giving the bottle one last shake. She nods and sits down on the edge of the wooden chair and I pass her the bottle. The baby takes it well and silence fills the room until the kettle starts to hiss, I take it off the stove quickly so it won't disturb the baby and start to make the tea.

"So, did you find the bathroom? I forgot to show it to you."

"Yes, I found it. Sorry if we kept you up…"

"Don't worry about it. Milk and sugar?"

"Milk but no sugar, you could put up a silencing charm if…"

"No, I'll help with the baby, if you want. It will help with the cover story and you'll need to rest, Pomfrey can be as scary as McGonagall when she's angry." Lavender smiles slightly and nods.

"I know, she's got this…power about her." I put the tea down and sit opposite them both. Lavender has her eyes closed and is leaning back slightly. She looks absolutely exhausted. Her face is pale but her eyes are puffy and red, evidence of the tears I heard during the night. Her frame is skinny with the exception of a slight bump concealed by the dressing gown. Her hair is dark brown but the pale eyebrows tell me that she's naturally a blonde, the hair is pulled up in a messy bun but I can tell by the way it falls out of the tie that it is rather curly. Her hands are shaking but the baby doesn't seem to notice, I feel I should help.

"Do you want me to feed her? So you can drink your tea?" I ask cautiously, she opens her blue eyes and looks unsure for a moment but then looks down at the tea and nods. I stand up and move over to her and she passes Tabitha to me, the baby is small but her eyes are also blue and she has a small amount of blonde hair. I put the bottle back in her mouth and her eyes close again as I sit back down.

"She's beautiful." I say, both honestly and because it's a standard response when presented with a baby.

"I know." Lavender says with a small smile. "So, how long have you lived out here?"

"About eight years now, I moved out as soon as I finished Hogwarts."

"What do you do? With the Dragons I mean?"

"I'm with the breeding programme, we check the genetics of each Dragon and pair them up, to ensure the survival of each species." I say, quoting from my job description. "Most of it is trying to get samples from them and checking on the eggs and new-borns." Lavender looks impressed, underneath the tiredness.

"Sounds interesting, how many species do you have here?"

"Just the European species usually, Common Welsh, Herbridean, Horntail, Ridgeback, Longhorn, Short-Snout and Ironbelly, occasionally we get some other species for research or if other countries are trading them, we've got a Chinese Fireball male at the moment, on route to a research project in the Atlantic, beautiful species." Dragons, dragons are what I know, I could talk about them for hours. Lavender actually looks interested.

"How do you keep them apart? And away from the Muggles?"

"Muggles are easy, this whole reserve is unplottable and the muggles think it's unreachable so we don't have a problem. We also spread rumours that the mountains are cursed, Romanians are fairly superstitious so that helps. Keeping the Dragons apart is harder but they have twenty-four hour monitoring and wizard guards at the boundary of each species reserve, some species are allowed to mingle but some are too violent to mix."

"I've only seen one Dragon, during the tournament."

"We provided those Dragons, the one Harry faced is just about to start breeding again, she's getting moody that's the most dangerous time for us. I'll take you to see them one day if you want."

"I'd like that, Hagrid would love it here." I laugh and nod.

"Yeah, I'm planning on asking him over in the summer, I know he'd love it. Did you take Care of Magical Creatures?"

"Yeah, I got my OWL and I picked it up this year but…" She tails away and looks upset and I can understand why.

"Maybe you could get them to send work?"

"There's no point, I'm dead remember." Her face is stony all of a sudden so I look down at the baby, she has had half the bottle quickly but still seems eager to finish.

"Were your work okay about you calling in sick?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, there's been a stomach bug going around so I just said I had that."

"Why did you agree to take us in?" She asks, I look up and see how serious her face has become.

"I'm in the Order and it's the right thing to do." I reply, wondering what the real reason is, guilt perhaps? Guilt that I didn't do enough in the war, guilt that I wasn't with Fred when he died, guilt that I left so soon, guilt that I'm still hiding.

"You know what happened though? To me?"

"Yeah, I read it in the paper, I'm sorry…"

"I don't want to talk about it, ever. I'm someone new now, I need to leave her behind, understand?"

"Yeah, I get it." Does she really think it will be that easy, anyone who looks at her will realise that something horrific has happened to her, I've never seen her before but it's obvious she's been through hell.

"We should do your glamours, any ideas?" I ask, thinking back to my Charms NEWT.

"I don't want to be blond." She says firmly.

"Fine, well we need to change it from brown now and I don't think you'll look right as a red-head. How about black?" She nods. "I can change your eyes to green and plump on your face a bit." She nods again. "I'll make your hair wavy as well. Here, she's finished. I'll just grab my wand."

I pass Tabitha back to her mother and ten minutes later she looks completely different. Changing the eye colour helped but she still looks lost, she looks in the mirror and seems pleased.

"Thanks, do you think it's enough?" She asks.

"Yeah, you look completely different…" A knock on the door interrupts us and Lavender looks terrified. "It's probably just a friend, go into your room and unpack your stuff." She nods and moves quickly out of sight.

I look in the mirror and realise that the lack of sleep makes me look ill enough so I don't need to charm myself so I walk to the door and open it.

"Charlie, you sick, Mada make you soup!" The old woman pushes past me and into the flat. She's in her late seventies and runs the kitchens here at the reserve, she's like a grandmother to all of us.

"Thanks Mada, how are you?" I ask, shutting the door behind her, I wonder if I should start the cover story now, Mada will ensure its spread quickly and efficiently through the reserve.

"I smell baby! Charlie! You have baby here! Who bring baby, your brother?" Well, that solved the problem.

"Umm, no, sit down. I've had quite a hectic twenty-four hours, I'll make you some coffee."

"No, you sick, tell Mada and Mada make coffee, where baby?" She stands up and walks into the kitchen, I look after her for a moment and then walk into Lavender's room. She is sat on her bed with an open bag on clothes at her feet and Tabitha next to her, she looks up at me as I enter.

"Who is it?"

"It's the cook, she brought me soup and she can smell Tabitha, it's show time Amber."

"She can smell her?"

"Apparently, bring her out and follow my lead." Lavender picks the baby up, sniffs her, and we walk into the kitchen, Mada turns around and makes a gushing noise at the sight of the baby.

"A baby! A baby girl, yes?"

"Yes, Mada this is Amber, we met last year and this…this is my daughter, Tabitha." To say that Mada looks shocked is an understatement, she also looks pleased though, she's never liked Evie.

"Charlie! You have baby girl, you big man now!" I smile and nod, this is weird. Mada walks towards Lavender and I notice her grip of Tabitha tighten slightly.

"Me Mada, I look after everyone here, I cook for you and Tabitha, what you like?"

"Umm…hello, I'm Amber." She says, looking terrified, Mada smiles at her showing several missing teeth.

"It's been a bit of a busy few days, Mada. Amber's a bit tired, did you want to have a sleep?" I ask, turning to Lavender, she takes the bait as I knew she would.

"Yes please, thanks."

"Mada cook another time, you sleep!" Lavender nods and leaves the room. Mada waits a moment and then turns to me. "Charlie, she look ill! You need be good man and marry her!"

"We're not getting married, she's been through a lot, her family were killed in the war and she didn't realise she was pregnant until I was already back here so she's been trying to find me."

"She no family?"

"No, all killed in the war."

"That sad, you be good man and marry her."

"No, she's just staying here so I can help with Tabitha, we're not together." Mada looks unconvinced.

"You not want her, she pretty, she better than Italian whore!"

"Stop calling Evie that, you know what her name is." I reply, swallowing a smile with some difficulty, Evie is probably the only worker on the reserve that Mada doesn't like. "And I haven't told Evie yet so don't tell anyone." I know the news will now spread by dinner, Evie will probably hear first.

"You cheat Evie?"

"It was complicated, we were on a break and it was during the war. Amber was…it was a one-time thing." Man, I should be an actor.

"You young people, no morals! I leave now, you not sick but keep soup, give to Amber, she look sick." Without another word Mada leaves the flat leaving only the box of soup and her over-bearing perfume.

I walk into Lavender's room and see that she is crying quietly, I think of leaving but she spots me.

"Sorry." I say quietly.

"It's alright, just not very good at this, am I?"

"You were fine, pack your stuff away and then we'll get to know each other and flesh out the cover story." She nods and wipes her tears.

"Is your ex going to be mad at you?"

"Evie, probably but don't worry about it. I can handle her." To be honest it has probably helped me, she'll be so pissed off that I won't end up shagging her every time we get pissed together.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's going to be alright. Mada likes you, that's the most important thing."

"Is it?"

"Yeah, she pretty much runs this place, and is the gossip exchange. She likes you so others will, don't worry, you did good." She manages a small smile and then moves to put Tabitha in her crib and I shut the door.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I watch the door close and look back at Dora, she's sleeping soundly and I wish I could. I try and stop the tears coming but I can't so I just ignore them. I walk back over to the bed and start putting my clothes away, there's a wardrobe and a chest of drawers which I half-fill with my clothes, I store some summer things and things I'll never wear again under my bed and then put Dora's clothes in the remaining space.

Fleur has packed everything well, even my textbooks and crochet things. There is even my make-up, she must have just packed everything with no thought as to whether I would need it. I empty the first bag and then move onto the bag of potions than Pomfrey sent.

I put them all on the chest of drawers and feel terrible that I didn't say goodbye to her. She has written down a potion regime for me and enclosed a letter for Charlie, I put it on my bed to give to him later. She has also enclosed several baby books and one other book which is completely plain, I wonder if it is a notebook but when I open it I see the title. 'Magical loss; how to cope.' She has written a small note.

_Hide this but don't give up hope._

Almost mechanically I open the bottom drawer and put the book underneath my clothes, hidden away. I pick up the last book and see that it is about post-traumatic stress, I put it with the magical loss book, hidden.

I unpack the other bags quickly and an envelope drops out, it's address to me so I open it

_Dear Lavender,_

_I know that you must be scared but remember that you can start a new life now. Charlie is a good man and he will look after you both. It may be hard to start with but don't forget to let him help you, especially with Dora. I am sorry that we cannot help you anymore but we will stay in touch as much as we can. Stay strong and don't hold back when you want to cry._

_Best wishes,_

_Fleur and Bill._

_P.S. Burn this!_

I find a scrap piece of parchment and copy down the message before walking into the living room and throwing the letter on the fire, Charlie is sat on the sofa eating soup.

"Alright?" He asks, watching the letter burn.

"Yeah, Bill told me to burn it."

"Oh, you unpacked?"

"Yes, I just need to grab something." I walk back into my room and pick up the letter for Charlie and cast charms on the crib before returning to the living room. I pass him the letter and he puts it in his pocket.

"Cheers, I'll open it later, you want soup?" I nod and he pours me a bowl and passes me a spoon, it is delicious.

"It's nice, did you make it?"

"No, Mada brought it, she's an amazing cook. I burn everything. Can you cook?"

"I can try." I reply, I need to feel useful. "Maybe we could get some books and I could try."

"Good idea. We could go out at the weekend, into the next town and find some books for you." I nod.

We spend the next hour slowly working on the cover story until we're sure it will be enough. Amber worked in a bar in London, Charlie came in and they got drunk and had a one-night-stand and then the next day her family were murdered. It might help explain my broken-ness if it looks like I'm carrying guilt around with me.

I can't fail to notice the feint smell of Firewhisky in the flat, perhaps Charlie has his own demons to deal with.

I have a small nap in the afternoon but Dora's cries wake me up. I sit up slowly and then walk over to her. Picking her up I know she needs changing so I grab the bag and walk out of my room. The bathroom is quite large considering the size of the flat, I change her on the floor and then stand up and catch sight of myself in the mirror.

Amber looks tired but the charms are impressive and she doesn't look starved like Lavender did. As long as we renew the charms every week it should be fine. I walk into the living room and see that Charlie is asleep on the sofa with an open Dragon book on his chest.

He is taller than Bill and the others and slightly broader too. His face is tanned and weather-beaten and he also has a burn scar on his neck. The freckles on his face remind me of his father but I recall his eyes being like his Ron's warm and blue.

I turn away from him and walk back into my room. Placing Dora on the bed I start my crochet blanket for her and time seems to just slip away.

"Mom converted you to crochet then?" Charlie's voice breaks through my concentration and I turn to him.

"Oh, hi. Yes, it's quite enjoyable actually."

"She's tried to get Ginny into it for years but she'd rather play Quidditch."

"You played didn't you? I remember Ron saying."

"Yes, I play here as well, just once a week for fun. You should come, it's Wednesday evenings and people will want to meet you. It will be weird if you don't leave the flat."

"Yeah, okay. Feels weird to be allowed out though."

"You can be free here but, don't go anywhere on your own, not for the moment."

"Why?"

"You might not be who you were but anyone can see you've got demons to deal with, Pomfrey told me about the panic attacks."

"I thought she might."

"There's no shame in it, we'll stick close together for the first few weeks then see how things go."

"Okay." I does actually comfort me to know I won't be alone yet. "Will there be a language barrier though?" I ask, wondering if Charlie can speak Romanian.

"Not on the reserve, it's all English, but when we travel to the nearest town in can be a problem, I've got a phrase book if you want to borrow it?" I nod and he leaves and returns with a tatty Romanian phrase book.

"Thanks. Can…" A knock on the door interrupts us and Charlie jumps slightly but recovers quickly.

"Don't worry, the gossip will have spread, I'll leave this door open."

I see him walk to the front door and when he opens it a man with light brown hair enters with a broad smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

"Weasley! Rumour has it you've got company!"

"Hey Drew, come on in, drink?" I say, standing aside to let the American into the flat.

"I was going to ask you if you were up for a pint but I ran into Mada, Evie's pissed off mate!"

I chance a glance at Lavender and see that she looks uncomfortable but I beckon her forwards, she turns to put Tabitha down and I look back at Drew.

"We were on a break, anyway she cheated on me so she can be as mad as she wants, Drew this is Amber, Amber this is Drew, another Dragon trainer."

"Hi." Amber says politely, still looking unsure.

"Nice to meet you Amber, Drew Dawson, American and Charlie's best mate here."

"Tea, Drew?"

"Coffee please."

"I'll make them." Says Amber.

"Thanks, tea for me, two sugars and milk." God there is so much we don't know about each other it's a good thing we're not pretending we spent any more than a few hours together one drunken evening. She nods and leaves the room, Drew turns to me with a wide smile.

"She's hot, good…"

"Don't. She's sensitive and she's been through hell, don't give her a hard time, I mean it, tell the others as well, she's off-limits." I say, using my firm voice. Drew looks unsure for a moment but then nods.

"Alright, message received. So where's the kid?"

"Asleep."

"Boy or girl?"

"Mada didn't say?"

"It was during the dinner line up, everyone knows you've had a baby but not much else."

"Oh, girl, Tabitha, only a month old." Then feeling that a father should say more I add, "She's gorgeous, mate." I say, trying to adopt a goofy look.

"Well, congrats dude." He says, shaking my hand. Amber returns with a tray of drinks and I notice how much the tray is shaking, Drew seems to as well but doesn't comment. She passes out the drinks and then sits on the edge of the armchair.

"So where are you from?" Drew asks.

"Cornwall, how about you?" Amber replies promptly, making wonder if she is actually from Cornwall or if it was just the first place that she thought of.

"Seattle, been out here for about five years, I love it." Drew says, taking a swig of his coffee. "You planning on sticking around?"

"Well… my family were killed in the war and Charlie wants to help with Tabitha so…"

"They're here for the long-haul. I'm going to register them with central, we'll probably get a bigger flat." I say and Drew nods.

"Yeah, I think there's an empty three bed upstairs that's a bit bigger, central will sort it out. Do you work?"

"I worked in a bar but I'm taking some time out for now."

"You could always get a job in the pub when the baby…"

"Tabitha." Amber supplies.

"Yeah, is older." Amber nods and takes a sip of her tea.

"It's been a bit of a stressful time for Amber." I say, trying to explain her broken appearance.

"Yeah, I know how bad it's been in Britain. Sorry to hear about your family."

"Thank you." Amber says, with tears apparent on her face, I make a mental note to ask about her real family.

The sound of cries fill the room and I stand up.

"I'll get her." I need to act like a father that hasn't been there for a month but is trying to make an effort, Amber looks conflicted but stays seated.

I walk into the room and lift Tabitha out of the crib carefully, she looks at me and then cries harder, I walk back into the room with her and Amber is walking back from the kitchen shaking a bottle of formula.

"She's due a feed." She says, passing the bottle to me, I sit down and start feeding the baby.

"Look at you, Weasley! You told your mom yet?"

"Yeah, they're coming at the weekend."

"Ha! They'll have you down the aisle by Christmas…"

"Nah, mom's distracted by my older brother at the moment, she should be alright." I say, wondering how mom would actually react if this situation had been real.

"So, did you go to Hogwarts then?"

"No, I was home-schooled." Amber replies, we decided it was too big a lie to take to say she'd been at Hogwarts. There are a couple of other Brits out here and it wouldn't be worth the risk.

"Me too! Dad doesn't trust organised schooling!" Drew replies, smiling.

There is another knock on the door and I stand up, still feeding Tabitha and open the door, it's Evie and she looks mad.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

Charlie's expression changes and he moves aside to let a woman with long flowing dark hair into the flat, she looks at Dora in disgust.

"You pig!" She yells as a greeting, Charlie looks at me and then brings Dora over and I take her and continue to feed her, Drew looks between the three of us, unsure.

"Calm down, we were on a break and we're not together now, get over it. This is Amber, Evie, and that's Tabitha, my daughter."

"I thought you no want children, that what you tell me!"

"It wasn't exactly planned but it's happened and I'm stepping up." Charlie replies, he's actually quite a good actor.

"Evie don't yell in front of a baby, what's the matter with you?" Drew asks, standing up and moving towards the woman.

"He cheat on me with this…whore!" As soon as the words leaves her lips I feel sick and I start shaking even more than I already was, the bottle slips from Dora's mouth and she starts crying.

That word, whore. It's on my leg. It's on my arm and it's forever in my memory. I feel Dora lifted out of my arms and then I'm also lifted to my feet and almost dragged into the bedroom.

My breathing is laboured as Charlie sits me on the bed and then leaves, I feel sick, I pull my legs to my chest and hug them, trying to calm down.

"Hey, look at me, they're gone."

"Talk…just talk…" I breathe, anything to distract from my own head.

"What about?"

"Anything…"

"Okay…when the twins were born Bill and I flipped a knut to see who would look after them the most and I won." He stops talking but I need him to carry on.

"Keep going…just talk…"

"Umm…Ginny once tricked Percy into thinking he'd won a genius prize. Ron once fell down the stairs and Fred told him his ear had fallen off." He stops talking again so I try and think of a question."

"Dragon…what's your favourite?" Merlin this is hard.

"Ironbelly, most people think they're ugly but…" I nod and he continues talking, I feel myself start to relax and I close my eyes.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

I can tell the exact moment that she falls asleep or passes out because her whole body seems to relax, I gently reposition her so she won't get cramp and check that she's breathing normally and then walk over to the crib and see that Tabitha is awake and staring up at the ceiling, we should get a mobile. I lift her out of the cot and walk into the living room and shut the door.

The bottle is still on the table so I grab it and continue to feed her. I know I need to explain to Drew and Evie why I threw them out so quickly. Lavender's face paled so quickly after Evie uttered that word that it looked like she'd died.

Merlin knows why I started talking about my family when she told me to talk, Dragons are easier, I'll have to remember for next time.

The letter from Madam Pomfrey is on the table and I glance through it again. Panic attacks. Nightmares. Self-harm. Flashbacks. Anaemia. What the hell have I taken on? I put the letter in my pocket and concentrate on the baby. She finishes the bottle quickly and then I wind her, she looks around with wide, innocent eyes and I can't help but smile when I look at her.

Glancing up at the clock I see that it's dinner time so I have a rummage through the cupboards, with Tabitha on my shoulder, and then put her in the Moses basket as I make omelettes.

"Hi." I jump at the sound of her voice but relax quickly as I turn to her. She still looks like hell.

"Hey, how you feeling?"

"Alright, how long was I asleep?"

"Nearly an hour, have you taken your potions?"

"Yeah, just now. Did Dora finish the bottle?"

"Yes, Tabitha did." She looks back at me with surprised eyes and then nods, she looks like she could cry at any moment.

"Did I make a scene?"

"I covered you, told them that you'd been attacked during…"

"What? Why?" She looks angry and I briefly see fire in her tired eyes. I turn off the hob and turn to her, thinking how to phrase things.

"Look Amber, I get that you want to move on but…you look defeated and haunted, we need a story to contain that, no charm can take that away, you need to heal. I wasn't specific and it won't be a risk. You're jumpy as well, you can kill Lavender but you can't put on Amber's skin like a glove, I'm sorry."

"I…" She turns away and I look back at the omelettes.

"It's okay, we'll figure it out."

"I'm sorry." She says, turning back to me. I nod.

"It's alright…" An owl disturbs us and I walk over to the window, I can see the Hogwarts crest on it and it's addressed to me. It's been a while since I've had a Hogwarts letter. I try to open the envelope but realise it's charmed so I tap it with my wand and sit down to read the letter, Amber sits opposite me, still wiping away tears.

"It's about the cover…they're going to say that Dora's died, then leave it a couple of days and then say you've ran off, then find your body a few days later, suicide." I look up at her and see that she's paled, how many shades of white can this girl be?

"I… It's horrible…" She looks at Tabitha and I nod.

"They need a reason for everything, this will cover you both. McGonagall says she knows it's a difficult situation but that she doesn't want others blaming themselves…"

"Whoever put me in the room, I guess."

"Probably…"

"And Seamus, he left me on my own so that…" She stops and sniffs but does not continue. I look back at the letter.

"My parents are going to visit on Sunday, act like they've just found out they've got a new grandchild. Kingsley's working on a new identity for you but not yet, he wants to leave at least six months before making a paper trial."

"Okay." I can see how difficult she's finding everything but it's too soon for me to be of any comfort to her, I think of an olive branch.

"We'll go out for dinner tomorrow, there's a nice family pub on the reserve."

"Will it be safe?" I give her a sad smile.

"We need to get you out and meeting people, it will make things easier." She nods.

"Feels weird, I've been in the castle since the summer and I only left the house once since the battle, just to get a wand…"

"Oh yeah, we'll need to get you a new one, there's a wandmaker in the next town, I'll arrange an appointment before the meal." She looks down at her wand and nods.

"I've only had it for a few months…sorry, this is all a bit over-whelming." She looks at Tabitha and it seems to calm her, I stay quiet because I don't know what to say.

"Am I making things difficult with Evie? Well, of course I am, I mean…"

"Don't worry about her. We dated a while ago and we were always on and off. We're not really good together so if anything you've probably helped the situation."

"Really?" She asks, looking sceptical.

"Yeah, it should keep her away. We had a volatile relationship at the best of times but since the war…it's been a bit unhealthy."

"You don't think she's 'the one', then?" She uses air quotes and I laugh slightly.

"I'm not sure I believe in the one but Evie and I don't bring out the best in each other. To be brutally honest I've gotten into a habit of bringing her back every time I drink too much and then I can't get rid of her for days." Amber laughs and it changes her whole face.

"Well, I'm glad my shambles of a life has helped your morality." I snort and stand up to finish the dinner.

"Omelette and chips?"

"Sounds good." She says, looking back at Tabitha who is falling asleep. "I'll go and put her in the crib and set up the charms."

I watch her leave and then turn back to the oven, what have I let myself in for?

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I wake four times in the night, three times it's because of Dora but the fourth is from a nightmare. Charlie woke me up and now I'm sat in the living room. He brought me a cup of tea and offered to sit with me but I told him to go back to bed. He's got work in a few hours anyway.

It feels so strange to try and be someone else. Charlie was right, Lavender Brown might be dead but that's not enough for me to forget her. I think about Hogwarts and I'm surprised by how much I miss it, not the castle obviously, but the people.

I'm glad I made up with Seamus even if he's probably blaming himself for my 'death'. I wonder if I could contact them somehow. Mr and Mrs Weasley will know at the weekend.

I'm looking forward to getting out and seeing a bit of the reserve but it seems so dangerous even though it's not, like I'm breaking the rules. I'm going to get some hair dye so that we don't need to keep redoing the charms, just my eyes and face.

Dora starts crying so I walk back into my room and put her on the bed with me and pick up my crochet. Dora is holding the wool with a baby grip so I give her a ball to play with, it's like she's a cat.

"I'm off then, Amber." I jump slightly at the sound of his voice.

"It's a bit early isn't it?" I look at the window and to my surprise the sun is rising, crochet seems time like a Dementor sucks souls.

"It's nearly seven, if you need me then go downstairs and the doorman can get a message to me. He's called Just and he looks like a boulder but he's friendly enough."

"Okay, thanks. Have a good day."

"I'll pop back at lunch…"

"You don't need to."

"I will, it will be expected. Remember Tabitha is my new baby, I'll need to adopt a suitably soppy expression for a while." I laugh and he smiles.

"Good point."

"Don't forget to eat and take your potions, I wouldn't put it past Pomfrey to send a Howler internationally."

"I'll be fine, thanks though." He nods and leaves.

Is it going to be this hard to start playing house?

* * *

><p>AN So the sequel has started! What do you think?

Next chapter; we're skipping ahead four months!

I'm looking for a beta so PM me if you're interested.

Allen Pitt- Australia is a bit far!

Mozie- Thanks!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- From the ending dawns a beginning!

Nightshroud92- I know, Seamus was a muppet!

Emmeebee- It's literally like you hacked into my laptop! I will resolve the attack in the sequel but not for a while.

Bookwormkat1- We will hear from them but not very often, she's died so they need to play it cool for a while.

LUG-14- Lol, Santa might have been a bit tricky!


	2. Chapter 2

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Lavender.

I answer the door with Tabitha balanced happily on my hip.

"Hi Mada, how are you?" I say, smiling at the old woman who had immediately put her arms out to take Tabitha.

"Tabby…you big girl now!" I loosen my grip and the baby is transferred, purring contently into Mada's arms.

"Tea?" I ask, as Mada whirls into the flat.

"I will do…you sit down!" Grateful I sit on the sofa and close my eyes for a moment, it's been a long day.

"Tell me your day!" Her voice floats through from the kitchen and I sit up and try to wake up.

"Well, I was working on a scarf this morning then we had a nap and then I started made a pie for dinner." Both my cooking and crochet skills have increased exponentially in the past few months, my own personal form of therapy.

"You fill order?"

"Yes, I'll take them in tomorrow and then Mrs Pearson wants a blanket for the new baby." I now make wool items for many of the families on the reserve and sell products in the clothing shop.

"Clever girl, how Charlie?"

"He's fine, he'll be back soon."

"You love him now?" I smile and stand up to walk into the kitchen.

"Mada, how many time do I have to tell you? We're not together, we're just friends!" She is persistent, I'll give her that.

"Take Tabby…I carry tea." I take Tabitha back from her and she tugs on my black hair as we move back through to the living room.

"How are you?"

"Fine, dinner shift soon, I make stew." She always makes stew, I suspect it's the only dinner food she knows. To be fair they are all different, and delicious.

The door opens and Tabitha squeals as Charlie enters the flat. He brings with him the smell of dittany and singeing hair. The first time this happened I was alarmed but now I just check his eyebrows and red hair and don't think any more about it.

"Hey." He says, putting down his bag. Tabitha starts wriggling so I stand up and Charlie takes her from me and spins her around.

"Have you been a good girl for Mummy?" He asks, smiling. "Good day?" He asks, looking at me.

"Yep, how about you? Did you get the sample from the Ironbelly?"

"I did, with only a medium-sized burn to show for it."

"Wow, that's impressive. Tea?"

"Nah, I'll shower first, here…" I take Tabitha back from him and he pulls of his leather coat.

Mada stays for another twenty minutes but by the time Charlie returns from his shower it's just me and a sleepy Tabitha in the living room.

"I'll put the pie in the oven, do you want tea or a beer?" I stand up leaving Tabitha in the Moses basket.

"Actually I've bought a bottle of elf-made wine." He says, pulling the expensive looking bottle out of his bag.

"Celebrating getting the sample?" I ask, walking into the kitchen, I hear him come in behind me, I turn the oven on and look up at him.

"No, this is for something else."

"What?" I ask, intrigued.

"Do you know the date?"

"No, I know it's a week day though, do I get credit for that?" I ask, smiling.

"Five points perhaps, anyway it's March the twenty third. Happy birthday!" I feel the smile slip from my face and sit at the table.

"I thought we decided that my birthday's in June?"

"We did, but we're celebrating tonight as well so suck it up." He says, popping the bottle of wine and retrieving glasses from the cupboard.

"I didn't know you knew." I say quietly, Lavender's birthday had not slipped my mind, I'd tried to avoid thinking about it though.

"McGonagall told me, she said to tell you happy birthday."

"You heard from her? When? Why?" I ask, thinking it's something to do with the trials, they are nearly over according to the Prophet.

"Last night when you went to bed, she just wanted to check in, Kingsley arranged a Floo-call under Percy's name. She gave me a letter to give to you, hang on…" He passes me a glass of wine and then leaves the room, returning seconds later with a Hogwarts envelope.

I put it in my pocket and look back up at him.

"Everything's okay though?" I ask.

"Yep, the Ministry have finished investigating Lavender's death and found that Hogwarts wasn't to blame for her suicide, they called it 'a serious of unfortunate and extraordinary events'." I nod but don't reply.

"Anyway, happy birthday!" He says, toasting his glass to mine.

"Thanks." I mutter before taking a large swig.

"And here is your present." He passes me a small box wrapped hap-hazardly in light blue paper with no label.

"You can't get me a present for something that isn't happening…"

"Just open it!" He says, grinning. I look at him for a moment longer and then look down at the small gift and open it, it's a navy box. I open it and see a bracelet, almost like a friendship bracelet.

"Before you say anything, I'm not turning girly from living with you and Tabitha for too long, put it on." I slip the plaited leather bracelet out of the box and onto my wrist.

"It's nice…"

"Go into the bathroom and look at your arms and legs." He says, almost sternly.

I do as he says and walk into the bathroom and pull up my left sleeve and gasp.

The words are gone, I look at my legs and they are smooth and untainted. I sit on the bath and run my hand over my arms, I can still feel the scars but they are no longer visible, Lavender is fading again.

"Does it work?" Asks Charlie from outside the bathroom door, I stand and wipe away an errant tear and open the door.

"Thank you, Charlie." I say in the most sincere voice I can, he smiles and we walk back into the kitchen.

"George said they're being launched next week."

"It's amazing, I can't see anything." Charlie looks proud.

"He wanted to get it perfected by Christmas but it didn't cover the whole body so he wanted to wait."

"Well thank him for me when you write to him." My letters are strictly limited but Charlie is usually able to work any messages into his letters.

"So, how was last night? I only heard her once."

"Yeah, at about four, she wasn't awake long though." The nights are still the worst but Tabitha at least seems to be settling down.

"How about you?" He asks, taking a sip of wine.

"Not too bad." I reply, not looking at him. "Anyway beef and ale pie, or at least I hope it's beef, the butcher looked a bit shifty."

We have a quiet dinner exchanging normal conversations and Charlie compliments the pie which I'm quite impressed with myself. He clears up the dinner and I walk into the living room and look at the letter from McGonagall. I tap the envelope with my wand and open it.

_Dear Lavender,_

_I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. There are only four trials left now and they should be dealt with by the end of the month. Kingsley is sorting out the paperwork for Amber and Tabitha Jones._

_We believe it may be possible for you to visit the Burrow during the summer for a few days but we will re-evaluate the risk closer to the time._

_Madam Pomfrey has said that Dora's results are perfect and that she is on target for all her development goals. We are still waiting for you to send your sample._

_I am extremely proud of how well you seem to be doing in your new life, it is a testament to your character and strength. I will try to arrange a visit within the next few weeks, there is a Transfiguration conference in Albania so I may be able to pop in to see you._

_Best wishes,_

_Minerva McGonagall._

_P.S. I hope I don't need to say it but; don't forget to burn this!_

I smile at the postscript and then put the letter on the fire and watch it burn. I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts since I left. Mr and Mrs Weasley have visited a few times but outside of the flat they have to keep up the illusion of being disappointed in having an illegitimate grandchild.

There's a knock at the door and I stand up to answer it, it's Mada again.

"Mada, what are you doing back here?" I ask, trying not to sound rude. Charlie walks back into the room drying his hands with a tea-towel.

"Thanks for coming, Amber do you want to change?"

"Why would I need to change?"

"We're going to the pub, come on."

"You go out. I baby sat Tabby, go change!" I turn to Charlie but he raises his eyebrows as if daring me to ask why we're going out.

"Fine." I mutter walking into my room. I change into a clean pair of jeans and a pink jumper with brown boots, the Romanian winter is still in full grip. Tabitha is asleep in the crib and I look at her for a moment and resist the temptation to stroke her light blond hair and then grab my bag and wand and walk back into the living room.

Charlie is pulling on his jacket and Mada passes me my green coat and I pull it on.

"She should be fine but…"

"Go! I know how to care for Tabby…be young!" Mada says, almost pushing me out of the door. Charlie shuts the door behind us and I turn to him.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might not want to go to the pub?" I ask.

"Of course it did but I just ignored it, come on. We haven't been out this week yet."

"That's because it's bloody freezing!" I reply, pulling on my mittens.

"Stop moaning, drinks are on me."

"Can I have a hot chocolate?"

"Life of the party you are." He mutters as he opens the heavy door, the security guard waves at us and I smile back at him before the biting wind causes the expression to fall off my face.

Charlie links his arm with mine and pulls me out into the snowy street.

"I don't know how you work in this!" I say, loudly over the wind.

"I put warming charms on my gloves, here." He pulls my hands out and touches them with his wand and they are reheated instantly, it spreads throughout my body, except to my exposes face.

"Thanks, so what did you tell Mada the occasion was?"

"I said it was about time you got out of the flat more, people are getting suspicious."

"I go out! Almost every day…"

"Exactly, in the day. You hardly ever socialise at night, Drew's expecting us and Sara wants to get to know you more, I think she's a bit starved of female company."

"What about Evie?"

"They don't get on."

"Big surprise." Charlie snorts but doesn't reply. Evie and I barely speak but the scowls she gives me every time she sees me speaks volumes.

The pub is warm and welcoming and Drew waves us over to a table in the corner.

"Hey, you finally got the hermit out of the shell then?"

"Yep, I told you, I'm charming! Beer?"

"Sure."

"Sara?"

"One of those warm wine things, please." The New Zealander asks, smiling at me. Charlie disappears to the bar and I pull off my mittens and coat.

"How you doing?" Sara asks.

"Okay thanks, how are you? Settling in yet?"

"I'm getting there, it's just so different." She replies, looking around the pub, I mimic her and spot Evie walking towards Charlie. I turn back to Sara and Drew.

"I heard you got the sample from the Ironbelly?"

"Yeah…" As I expected the conversation about the Dragon carries us until Charlie returns with the drink, Evie pulls up a stool and I stiffen but don't say anything. Charlie passes me the hot chocolate and I take a bit sip, only when I swallow do I realise it's got some form of whisky in it. Charlie watches my expression with a grin so I choose not to comment.

"So when are your family coming?" Charlie asks Sara.

"Probably not till July, they want to avoid the winter. Have you got family coming soon?"

"Not for a bit, my parents came last month but things are a bit busy at home at the moment, my sister in law is very pregnant and my younger siblings have got exams coming up, and the Ministry is still busy."

"They done with those trials yet?" Drew asks, I keep my eyes down but I can feel Charlie's eyes on me.

"The Death Eater ones are done mostly but they're still a few more trials going on."

"That girl right, the one who was raped? I read about it before I came, it's horrible. Did you know her?"

"No, my younger siblings did."

"How about you, Amber?"

"Me, what?" I ask, looking up at Sara.

"Did you know that…was it Lavender?"

"I didn't know her, I was home-schooled." I reply, trying to keep my voice even.

"Perhaps if you'd gone to Hogwarts you would have learnt how not to get pregnant?" Evie asks, Charlie's head snaps to hers but I aim a kick at him to try and reign in his temper.

"Fuck off, Evie. What are you even doing here?"

"It's a free country." She replies, taking a long drink of her wine.

"Which gives us the right to tell you to piss off." Says Drew, looking annoyed.

I stand up and move past Sara muttering about going to the toilet. I cross the crowded pub quickly and stand in front of the sink in the bathroom taking deep breaths. This is exactly why I don't like socialising, you never know which direction the conversation is going to take.

It takes me a few minutes to pull myself together and then I splash some water on my face and return to the pub. About half way across the room my path is blocked by a large man with a burn on his face and an over-powering aroma of Firewhisky.

"Hello, can I buy you a drink?" If I was to make a guess I'd say he was German, or Austrian. His English is perfect but the standard among the workers on the reserve is generally quite high.

"No, thank you." I reply, I try to move past him but he blocks my path.

"Are you sure?" He asks.

"Quite sure, I need to get back to my table." He looks at where I am pointing and I can see that Charlie is close to coming over, and then the German steps aside and I walk quickly to the table. Charlie questions me with his eyes but I nod and take a very large sip of my drink and almost choke on it. Sara hits me on the back and I recover fairly quickly.

Evie has left the table and there is a pack of muggle playing cards in the middle of the table.

"So, what are we playing?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Poker, you in?"

"What are we betting?"

"Only knuts, we don't get paid enough these days!" Charlie says, smiling.

"Sure, can I borrow some knuts then?" He passes me over a few and we start playing.

I pick it up quite quickly, Sara and I team up as we are less familiar with the rules but after a few rounds we split up and the game starts becoming more entertaining.

After a few more drinks I start to feel a bit more relaxed, and slightly tipsy so I switch to water. When I win my first game Charlie leave to get more drinks and Drew starts to deal without him.

I'm just looking at my cards when a commotion at the bar has me looking up, Charlie is on the ground with the German guy punching him, Charlie hits back and Drew jumps up to run over to them.

"Oh my…" I gasp, Sara and I run over but one of the men puts an arm out in front of us so that we are out of the violence.

"Charlie, stop it!" I yell, he looks up at me and tries to straighten up but the moment costs him and another man, a friend of the German's perhaps, knocks him out with a well-aimed punch to the head. He drops like a stone and the barman jumps over the bar and uses magic to ensure there are no more injuries.

Drew kneels down next to Charlie, wiping his bloody nose on his sleeve, and I rush over to them.

"Is he okay?" I ask.

"Charlie, mate, come on!" Drew says, pulling out his wand and reviving him.

He opens his blue eyes slowly and looks momentarily confused before his eyes find mine and he suddenly looks more in control.

"Where…where did he go?" He gasps, sitting up.

"He's gone, come on mate, let's get you home." Drew says, pulling Charlie to his feet. The other patrons clear a path and we walk out, Charlie is leaning on Drew heavily and Sara and I walk ahead of them.

"Bloody knob…" Charlie mutters as we reach the snowy street.

"What the hell happened?" Drew asks, his voice straining under the effort of carrying his friend. Sara drops back and takes his other shoulder and I walk next to Drew.

"If I see him on the reserve I'm going to knock his bloody block off!"

"Charlie, calm down." I say, loudly, trying to get him to focus. We haven't kept up the cover for over four months just for him to blow it while he's concussed.

"Sorry, m'fine." He replies, locking eyes with me for a moment.

When we return to the flat Drew lowers Charlie to the sofa and Mada fusses over him for a moment in a way that reminds me of Madam Pomfrey. It makes me miss her.

"Don't worry I'll keep an eye on him, has Tabitha been alright?"

"She fine…sleep all night! You put the ditty on his head?"

"Yep, I'll do it. Thanks guys." They leave and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Before I look at Charlie I walk into my room and check on Tabitha and then go into the bathroom and find the dittany and a couple of other potions.

Returning to the living room I sit on the coffee table and see that Charlie is asleep or unconscious again.

"Hey, Charlie! Wake up!" I say, shaking him.

"S'matter?" He opens his uninjured eye and looks at me.

"The matter is that I need to treat your injuries and you need to tell me what the hell happened!"

I start dabbing the dittany on his eye and he winces.

"Stings!"

"What happened? Do you want to get arrested?"

"He was disrespectful!"

"And you thought the best way to deal with it was to start a fight? Fire with fire?" His eyes close again so I poke him hard in the chest.

"Oww!"

"For Merlin's sake, Charlie! You could have ruined everything!" I say, sitting back and putting the dittany down.

"S'fine, he won't say anything!"

"You can't lose control like that! What if…if you'd been hurt or…or the police had been involved!" I'm so mad that I put the dittany down and throw the box of potions at him.

"Fix yourself!" I yell before storming off into my room and slamming the door.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

I hear the door slam and try to focus on the potions, I take them all quickly and then lean back and take deep breaths.

I can see why she's pissed off and that's even more annoying but…

I sit up and feel the potions clear my head slightly, my eye is still throbbing but I can feel the dittany working and I know it could have been a lot worse.

I just wanted to give her a nice birthday, a night off from Tabitha, and now I've buggered it up.

When Gerrand asked me if he could borrow her for the night, I just lost it. He's always been a pillock but we haven't really spent much time together so it's not been a problem before.

I think about going to talk to her but decide against it, if she's anything like Ginny when she's annoyed she'll probably hex me. I lie back down and take a deep breath.

We've been doing really well considering the rocky and abrupt start. I know she found Christmas tough and I'd rather had been with the family but it was decided for us that it wasn't worth the risk. We spend the Christmas week locked in the flat pretending that Tabitha had some contagious disease.

Mom and Dad have been a few times and Amber tries to put up a good show but I notice the guard she puts up when they're around, she doesn't want to let anyone get too close. There are only a few trials left now but McGonagall thinks that one of them might get away with it, we haven't told Amber but I reckon she knows anyway.

The sound of her sobs filter through to the living room and my guilt multiplies but I stay put. I know she hates to show weakness, hates to cry with an audience.

The best thing about all of this has been the baby. I never really wanted kids before and I was terrified at the thought of trying to pretend to be a father but actually it's been easy. Bill warned me not to get too attached in case they need to be moved at short notice, but I couldn't help it. I think the world of Tabitha, I can never call her Dora, it's too hard to think of Tonks lying dead on top of Lavender in the battle.

Amber's only had a few slip ups in terms of calling her Dora but they've been covered smoothly and everyone at the reserve seems to have bought the cover story. The problem I now face is trying to get Amber out of the flat more otherwise people will get more suspicious and we can't afford that.

Grieving for her family is all well and good but the grief should fade whereas the broken-ness of Amber's appearance is not diminishing by much.

I slip into sleep fairly easily, aided by Firewhisky and potions but I'm woken abruptly by the sound of Amber screaming at non-existent attackers. Her nightmares have been reducing in frequency and intensity but I suspect the excitement of the night has not helped her recovery.

I stand up quickly and stagger slightly before running into her room. Tabitha is asleep, the charms preventing the noise of her mother from disturbing her, Amber is writhing around on the bed like she's having a seizure.

The blanket has fallen off her and her fists are clenched, her whole body is shaking and sweat is making her hair and clothes stick to her.

"No…please…don't…"

I grab the blanket from the floor and throw it over her before perching on the edge of the bed and putting my hands firmly on her shoulder.

"Amber, wake up, it's okay!" I shake her lightly and for a moment there's no response from her but then she gasps and sits up quickly, breathing heavily.

"You okay?" I ask.

"I…" She starts crying and I take my hands off her shoulders and move back slightly, out of her personal space.

McGonagall gave me an ear-bashing for not talking to her about her nightmares, about any of it, but I hate to exploit her vulnerability at these times. Would it help her?

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologise, what happened?"

"Nightmare." She answers, wiping her face with her shaking hands.

"I figured that out for myself thanks, I meant…what was it about?" She looks at me through her fingers and her eyes are wide, terrified. I contemplate giving in but then McGonagall's face appears in my mind so I stay firm.

"Nothing, I'm fine." She says, she lies back down and turns away from me into the wall.

"You can talk to me about what happened, you know?"

"It didn't happen to Amber." She says, to the wall.

"It happened to Tabitha's mother." I reply, glancing over at the crib.

"Get out, I'm still mad at you." She says, still not looking at me.

I stay for a moment longer and then leave the room.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I wake up just after the sun has risen, my first thought is that I woke up naturally but then I hear Tabitha's disgruntled noises so I take a deep breath and sit up, she is sat up in the crib, looking around and clearly not happy.

"Hey, Poppet." I say softly, lifting her out of the crib and into my arms. She makes noises of greeting and I smile and put her on my bed as I pull on my dressing gown and slippers.

I carry her into the kitchen and flick the kettle on and grab a bottle of formula from the table, Charlie must have prepared it in the night, I'm still mad at him though.

I sit on the chair and lean back against the wall as I feed her, she can almost hold the bottle herself now but her grip is not strong enough to feed herself so I still guide the bottle.

"Morning." I open my eyes, I hadn't even realised they were closed, and watch Charlie walk to the kettle. He has one black eye but there is green paste on it so I know the bruise will fade soon. I keep watching him and only when he puts a cup of tea in front of me do I speak.

"What time are you off?"

"Twenty minutes, I should be back early tonight though." I nod and look back at Tabitha who is watching me with her blue eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry about last night."

"Are you?" I ask, looking at him.

"Yes, I over-reacted."

"What did he say?"

"It doesn't matter." Something about the way he says it makes me not ask again, I know what some of the men on the reserve think of women.

"Is your eye alright?"

"Yeah, did you sleep after the nightmare?" I look at him shrewdly.

"What's McGonagall said?" I ask, we've never discussed the nightmares before, we never discuss the war at all.

"Nothing…"

"Bullshit, what's she said?" I ask firmly.

"She just wants you to try and open up."

"Just tell her I am."

"You mean lie, to McGonagall, are you mad?"

"We're doing okay aren't we?" I ask, my eyes slightly watery.

"Yeah, really well."

"Then don't start rocking the boat now." I stand up and walk back into my room and slam the door.

I hear him leave ten minutes later and have a long shower before dressing myself and Tabitha and putting her in her pushchair. I double-check the bag of scarves I've made to make sure they look good enough and then leave the flat.

The textile shop is a ten minute walk away but with the heavy snowfall last night it takes about half an hour for me to get there. Several of the people we pass greet me with a nod or a grunt and most of the women stop to look in the pushchair.

"Amber, how y'doing?" Asks Glinda, the owner of the textile shop, she helps me get the pushchair into the shop and then beckons me into the back.

"I'm well thanks, how are you?"

"Can't complain, heard about the ruckus in the pub last night, not like Charlie to get physical is it?" I like Glinda, she's one of the few people I've met here that I can say I would have been friends with before the war. She's in her late thirties and moved over here from Ireland ten years ago with her husband, a dragon researcher, they now have a two-year old boy, Ryan, and this shop.

"I know, I was really pissed off." I say, first checking to make sure that Ryan isn't within earshot.

"I know Gerhard can be a bit of a nightmare when he's had a drink, do you know what started it?"

"No, Charlie wouldn't tell me…" Tabitha starts crying so I bend down and lift her out. "Daddy was silly, wasn't he?" It's been surprisingly easy to pretend that Charlie is the father, it's clear that he thinks the world of her.

"Another bad night with her?" My tiredness is usually blamed on Tabitha so I nod. "I'll put the kettle on."

"Thanks, where's Ryan?"

"He's hiding in the hat box, probably getting snot over all of them." I glance over to the hat box and see that the wooden lid is ajar, Ryan is a fan of playing hide and seek on his own.

"Bless him, I've got those scarves for you." I pull the bag of scarves out from the bottom of the pushchair and put it on the table and then sit on the armchair and start to tickle Tabitha to keep her amused, it works and she starts making purring noises again.

Glinda comes back in with a tray of tea and biscuits and then starts looking through the scarves.

"They're great, how do you get them done so quickly with a six month old?"

"Ha, she likes playing with the wool while I'm making them. Do you think you can sell them?"

"Definitely, make some more with these bright colours, they sell quicker with the trainers."

"Sure, do you need anything else? Hats, socks?"

"Can you do gloves?" I think about it and pull a face.

"I'll give it a shot, I can do mittens though."

"Alright, socks and mittens. I've got a load of hats that aren't selling, hence why I don't care that Ryan is playing in them." I smile and take a sip of tea.

After ten minutes Glinda becomes suspicious of Ryan's continuous silence and discovers he has fallen asleep in the box, she lifts him out and carries him over to the table.

"Hello Ryan, how are you?"

"Bam bam!" He says, brightening up at the sight of me.

"Amber, Ryan, Am-ber!" Glinda says slowly, the nickname has stuck.

Ryan takes a biscuit from the plate and passes it to me.

"Bam bam, cookie?"

"Thank you." I say, taking it and waiting until he has walked to his toy box before putting it back on the plate.

"So, how's Brian?" I ask, I like Glinda's husband, he reminds me of Seamus but not in a bad way, I miss my Hogwarts friends more than I'd like to.

"He's alright, you and Charlie should come around to dinner on Friday? Get you out of the flat?" She looks at me carefully and remembering Charlie's warning about getting out more I force a smile onto my face.

"Great, thanks. I'll ask him tonight."

"I know it's hard to…try and get on with things again." She lost her mother to some disease last year.

"I'm trying, it's just…" There's a crack in a voice as I think of Flo. I miss her so much, I barely think of my parents.

"They'd want you to be happy."

"I know, I think I'm getting there."

"How about Charlie? He still blaming himself?"

"When he has a drink." I reply. I suspect that Charlie's alcohol consumption has reduced rapidly since we arrived but whenever he drinks too much I can hear him crying out for Fred, the nightmares accompany the alcohol.

"It's better now you're here though, loads."

"How bad was it before we came?" I ask, curious.

"Well…don't tell him I told you but…" She glances around to make sure the shop is empty, it is. "The reserve were thinking of making him attend alcohol counselling."

"Really? Can they do that?"

"Yeah, it's in the contract when you apply, under your mental wellbeing. He was bad, got really drunk most nights, usually took Evie home, slag capitalised on his vulnerability. He's different now, everyone's noticed, anyone who's seen him with Tabitha anyway." I smile and look down at Tabitha.

"She loves him, well, his hair at least." Tabitha loves his red hair and always tries to yank it out.

"You're doing really well, considering the war and everything."

"Thanks, anyway I better go. I'll ask Charlie about Friday."

We say goodbye and Ryan comes and hugs me and then disappears back into the hat box and I leave the shop in the direction of the market.

I buy the ingredients for a chicken curry, knowing that Charlie likes spicy food, and then walk back to the flat.

It's amazing how normal life here has become, if I try I can really pretend that Lavender Brown never existed, it takes a lot of effort though and cracks in my façade are easy to find if you know what to look for.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

"…doing much better but if anything like this happens again then we will have a problem, do you understand?"

"Yes sir, it won't happen again." I say, trying to sound more sincere than I feel, I am being told off like I'm still at Hogwarts.

"It better not, you've got a family to think of now."

"I know." I look down, knowing how mad she still is with me.

"I know Gerhard can be…distasteful, especially when it comes to women but he is an asset to the reserve, as are you, and I'd hate to have to let either of you go."

"Understood. I'm sorry." Stefan looks at me for another moment and then motions me to leave his office, which I do, quickly.

It's been a long day and I'm bloody knackered. I spent the morning processing the Ironbelly sample in the lab and then the afternoon doing a medical on her to check if she's got any injuries, which she hasn't.

I grab my bag from the locker room and pull on my jacket before stepping out into the dark and windy night, it's snowing again and I pull on the mittens that Amber made me for Christmas and walk quickly to the accommodation block.

I'm still pissed off about what that dick said but I'm slightly pleased that I broke his jaw, it's fixed now of course but it's nice to know I inflicted damage. All I want to do now is get into the flat, have a shower, have some dinner, and then give Tabitha a bath, it's my night to see to her but if Amber's still pissed off I know I will have lost the right. It's fair enough, I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not actually a father, she's not really my daughter.

"Night Weasley." Just grunts as I pass him, I wave and then run up the stairs and tap on the door with my wand, it opens and the smell of curry greets me, she can't be that mad then.

"Hey." I say, loudly. She walks out of the kitchen with an apron on and some kind of food on her chin. She doesn't look too annoyed, just pretty, and tired. I mean pretty tired, of course.

"Hi, it's nearly ready, ten minutes?"

"Sure, I'll have a quick shower. Nice day?" I hear her confirm and then disappear into the bathroom and have a fleeting shower, just to remove the smell of dragon dung, and put on the fresh clothes that she has placed on the cabinet. She must have forgiven me.

I arrive in the kitchen and she is just putting the plates on the table, Tabitha is in her high chair and she squeals in greeting, Merlin I love that kid. I lean down and give her a kiss on the head and then sit down.

There's a couple of moments of silence before I decide I need to apologise again.

"I am really sorry, about last night." She puts her fork down and looks at me.

"It's okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm guessing you were trying to defend my honour or something equally pointless and…"

"Defending your honour is not pointless." I say, firmly, she continues as if I hadn't interrupted.

"…and it reminded me that you're a Weasley, just like Ron."

"Ron?"

"Yeah, I forgot how similar you are."

"What's Ron got to do with this?"

"He punched some guy last year for me, Bill had to give him a detention." I smile at the thought.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I might be trying to be someone different but you don't need to be. I'm sorry I got so upset…"

"Don't apologise, it's understandable, I lost control."

"Let's forget about it?" She smiles and I nod.

"Agreed, so how was your day?" She runs through her day, including all of Tabitha's naps and feeds which I'm assuming means that I'll be watching her tonight, and I realise that she is doing much better than I gave her credit for."

"…and Glinda invited us for dinner on Friday night, are you free? I thought you'd approve, getting out of the flat and all that."

"Yeah, great. I haven't had a catch up with Brian for a while, how's Ryan?" The rest of the meal passes fairly quickly and Amber offers to clean up so I can give Tabitha her bath.

I grab the charmed baby bath and put it in front of the fire and then lift Tabitha out of her chair and fly her, like a plane, to the bath. She shrieks and tries to grab my hair.

She loves bathtime, I prepare the bath and lower her into it and then charm bubbles to float around her and she tries to catch them, purring the whole time.

Amber comes in with a tray of tea and sits on the sofa and looks through a crochet pattern book that mom sent her for Christmas. She disappears behind the book and I notice her relax as she gets lost in the patterns.

Tabitha slaps the water with her hand to try and get my attention back and I turn to her and poke her on the nose and then continue to bath her.

"What do you think of this?" Amber asks, turning a mitten pattern to me, it's striped and quite bright.

"Nice, the bright colours are handy on the reserve, it helps us to keep track of each other."

"Doesn't it make the Dragon notice though?"

"They can only see black and white, except the Peruvian ones, we think they can see green as well but we're not sure if they can differentiate between the shades."

"Oh, that's random." She says, making a note and then disappearing behind the book again.

I finish bathing the baby and then dry her and put a nappy and her Dragon baby gro that Drew bought her for Christmas on, it reminds me of something.

"I was thinking, we should take some pictures of her, people do that don't they?" She lowers the book and looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Yeah, good idea, have you got a camera?"

"Somewhere, I'll try and find it later." She nods and then looks down at Tabitha.

"She's changed loads, I should have thought of it earlier."

"I think you had more important things on your mind." She smiles slightly and then puts the book down and slides on the floor next to us.

"Do you think I'm a good mother?"

"No." I reply, the hurt flashes across her eyes so I laugh.

"You're a great mother." Her face relaxes and she laughs.

"Thanks, you're a great father too, you know for someone that I've never actually slept with." I laugh and nod.

"21st century parenting at it's finest!" Tabitha starts crying so I pick her up and feed her before bringing the crib into my room and putting her down for the night. Amber comes in and kisses her goodnight and goes for her bath.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I sink into the bubbles and breathe deeply, the aroma of Lavender fills my nostrils and seems to calm my brain.

I used to hate the nights that Charlie insisted on looking after Tabitha but now I look forward to them. Occasionally I take potions to ensure an undisturbed night but I try to avoid them. My last magical reserve check showed some deterioration, hence why I haven't sent a new sample to Pomfrey, I'd rather not know.

The sounds of Tabitha's giggles float towards me and I smile, she really is a happy baby. I scrub my body and wash my hair, three times, and then step out and put on the charmed bracelet and dry myself thoroughly. It's strange to see my skin without the words and the scars, like I am actually looking at Amber Jones' body.

I pull on my pyjamas and pull my straight black hair into a messy bun before walking out of the bathroom and into my bedroom.

Grabbing some parchment I start a letter to Hermione, Charlie puts them in with letters to Ron, protected by charms of course. I've heard from her a few times and she seems to be doing well, she tries not to write about Hogwarts too much, preferring to fill me in on the other Gryffindor's. They were all told that I wasn't really dead, after a week of them all being distraught.

I argued with the Minister and insisted that they were told, after Seamus got so drunk one night he passed out in the Common Room, McGonagall agreed and they were all informed of my survival. Only Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville know where I am and who I'm with and I trust them all with my life, and Tabitha's.

When the letter's finished I put it on my chest of drawers and walk into the living room to say goodnight again and then climb into bed.

In my dream I'm standing in a forest, a beautiful forest like the one in fairy tales that Flo used to read me. I can hear sniffling in the corner and I turn to the sound. It's a small dog, some sort of terrier, I smile and walk towards it but someone blocks my path, I look up and see Proudfoot holding Dora.

"Give her to me." I say, very calmly considering the situation.

"Mummy?" Dora says, I look at her and despite her baby proportions her eyes look scared.

"Give her to me, now!" I say, firmly.

"She's mine." Proudfoot replies, tightening his hold on her. "Don't you remember how it happened?"

"I'm dreaming." I say, sometimes that's all it takes to wake me up, the knowledge that it's a dream.

"Can you remember, Lavender?" He asks, I look back and Dora is gone and Proudfoot is closer to me, he takes my wrist and I try to pull away.

"You're not real, I'm dreaming. You can't hurt me."

"Remember how it felt!" He shouts and I jump but his grasp is tight so I can't get away.

"Wake up! I need to wake up!" My breaths come in short and he laughs, it's the laughter I hate the most, the realisation that what happened in that room was just a game for them.

"…wake up, Amber!" My eyes fly open and Charlie is inches from my face. I gasp and sit up so quickly that I head-butt him and he pulls back with a yelp.

"Charlie?"

"Yep…s'alright. You okay?" He reappears rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah…it was a weird one."

"The dream?"

"Yes, I was in a forest and there was a dog and Dora was…"

"Tabitha." His correction brings me back to myself, back to Amber. I look at him and I can tell he's regretting his interruption.

"What happened?"

"Nothing." I reply, sniffing and wiping away my tears.

"Do you want a drink?" Usually I say no but I can still hear Proudfoot's laughter so I nod and throw the duvet off me, Charlie looks surprised but passes me my dressing gown and we walk into the kitchen.

"Tea? Cocoa?"

"Cocoa please. I can do it though…"

"I've got it, I was awake anyway, had a bad dream."

"Oh." I reply, I can't ask him what it was about when I don't talk about my own.

"It was a memory." He volunteers, his back is to me but I can see that he's shaking slightly.

"Are you okay?" He nods.

"When I was a kid we used to go sledging at Christmas, in the hills around the house. One time I was on a sledge with Fred and we flew down the hill, really fast, but when we reached the bottom we hit a tree root and it sent us both flying. I landed fine and crawled over to Fred, he was about seven, I reached him and he was fine but…in the dream he…he wasn't…"

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"I know, but I'm still sorry."

He brings the cocoa over and we sit in silence for a moment before I look up at him.

"Does it really make you feel better? Talking about it?" He thinks for a moment and I appreciate it because I don't want a flippant I'm-scared-of-McGonagall answer.

"Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't make a difference but…it doesn't make it worse."

"I never had nightmares before the war, I could never even remember my dreams."

"I used to when I was about five, it was just kid stuff like getting lost at the shops and tripping up and things, I used to run into my parents room."

"I don't know what my parents would have done if I'd ran into their room, just called Flo, I guess." My voice cracks at the mention of Flo, even thought it was months ago it still hurts every time I think of her.

"Flo was your house-elf?"

"Yeah, she raised me, I can barely remember my parents before Hogwarts."

"What was Flo like?"

"Bloody mental!" I reply, smiling in spite of the pain through my heart. "She used to tug on her ears when she got excited or worried…" I tug on my own ear and laugh slightly.

"Why didn't you tell anyone about your parents?"

"I didn't know it was unusual, not before Hogwarts. When they left me I was so excited to have an unlimited bank account…I was a different person then, anyway I kept thinking they'd come back. Flo kept telling me they wouldn't be much longer and that I should keep my room tidy. After a year I just got…so angry and bitter about it, I wasn't going to admit to anyone what had happened, that they just didn't care…"

"Did you hear from them after the trial?"

"They sent a letter, the court made them. Basically told them not to contact them…how did you do that?" I ask, wide-eyed.

"What?"

"Get me to talk!"

"Oh, it's part of my natural charm…" My indignant reply is lost in a snort.

"You've been talking to McGonagall more than I thought."

"Nah, just my mother. She's worried."

"I'm doing okay though, aren't I?" I ask, suddenly unsure.

"You're doing really well, much better than I thought. I was bloody terrified! Taking in an eighteen-year-old and her newborn!"

"Why did you?"

"I know what you did, and I'm in the Order."

"What did you do during the war?"

"Not enough…" Tabitha starts crying and he puts his arm out to stop me getting up and then dashes out himself. I sip the Cocoa and he brings the baby in, she puts her arms out when she sees me so I hold her while Charlie prepares the formula.

As Charlie starts feeding her I slip back into my room and into bed, was that talk helpful? Well, I suppose it didn't make it worse.

* * *

><p>AN So we've skipped ahead, what do you think? Is Lavender' recovery progressing as you expected?

Next chapter; Charlie has a close encounter with Sara, Amber misses Lavender and Charlie has a nightmare.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks.

Farrafelpies- Lol.

witchprincess33- Lol, thanks!

LUG-14- Thanks, there's still a few more characters to be introduced.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Charlie.

I'm in the kitchen making a cup of coffee when she walks in, her face still sleepy but looking quite calm.

"Morning, tea?" I ask.

"Yeah, thanks. Good night?"

"Not brilliant, she's a bit cranky, could she be teething?" I ask, grabbing another cup from the cupboard.

"Might be, I'll check the baby books. Is she sleeping now?"

"Yep, in the living room. How did you sleep?"

"Alright actually."

"See, my natural charm worked." She smiles as I pass her a cup of tea.

"If it makes you happy to think that that's true then feel free." She replies with a hidden smile.

We talk sleepily for a few minutes and then I grab my things and head off to work, promising I'll be home early, I know she worries when I'm late. I didn't notice at first, that her crankiness had a direct correlation to my tardiness but when I found her almost having a panic attack when I'm unexpectedly stopped off at the pub on my way home I knew that things had to change, that I had to change.

I spoke to my boss and told him that I needed to be put on family hours and he reluctantly agreed. It meant a slight reduction in salary but the Order pay me more than enough to make it up. My bank account has never looked so healthy, I'm getting more money and I'm drinking less, my liver is probably grateful as well.

"Morning Weasley, have you got those results from the lab yet?" Asks Peter as soon as I reach the office, four of us share the room. Myself, Peter the supervisor who is so work focussed I doubt he ever leaves the office, Drew, and now Sara who is still training, under my supervision.

"No, should be back by this afternoon, I can't see there being a problem though, I'd wager that she's ready she's shown no signs of disease. I'm going to search for a mate this morning, look through the records."

"Good, let me know what you find we need to boost the Ironbelly's."

"We know that Pete, we work here too." Says Drew, slipping into his chair and yawning. Peter's efficiency tends to clash with Drew's laidback approach.

Sara comes in wearing running gear and as she reaches her desk she pushes a button on her muggle watch and then grins. I can't help notice how fit she is, although her blonde hair doesn't look as sexy pulled back into a ponytail.

"Ten seconds down, knew the herbal tea would manage it." She mumbles, more to herself than to us.

"Sara, you need to come in ready for work." Says Peter, sternly.

"I know, but I'm not on for another thirty minutes so I've got time to hit the showers and change and still be early." She says brightly.

"Oh… well…" Peter walks out looking embarrassed and Drew laughs.

"How long did it take you then?" I ask, as Sara sits down and drinks something from a bottle.

"Ten point five eight, I'm determined to get under ten though I think I can if I…"

"Ten minutes from your block to here, in the bloody snow!" Drew says, astounded.

"Yeah, I used to run marathons in the sand, snow is actually easier."

"You'll have no problem passing the physical next month, don't sweat it." I say, trying not to let my gaze roll over her body, she turns to me and grins.

"I don't want to just pass, I want to win."

"Overall or just women?" Drew asks, unwisely because Sara looks instantly offended.

"Overall, of course you prat!"

"Do you need any help with the duelling?" I ask, we all need to fire spells quickly and on target before qualifying.

"Why? You offering?"

"Sure, you free at lunch?" She grins in an evil way.

"You might wish you'd never said that, Weasley. Can we do it after work instead?"

"No, sorry. I can't hang about, Amber worries and we think Tabitha's teething."

"Lunch it is then."

"Why does Amber worry?" Asks Drew.

"She just does… I think she's always been a worrier but the war made it worse."

"Do you know how her family were killed?"

"No, she doesn't like to talk about it and I know not to ask. It wasn't pleasant though and she was captured and tortured, bloody lucky to have survived…"

"And not to have lost the baby as well, that's incredible!" Says Sara passionately.

"She's a fighter. Anyway I've got to check on the Fireball, see if that enclosure is holding her." I walk over to the enclosure with my mind still on Amber, even though the situation is slightly different Sara is right, it's amazing that both Amber and Tabitha survived.

The Fireball enclosure is massive and all the water supplies seems to be fine so I sit down and watch the Dragon for a while before heading back to the office.

"Results are in, mate." Drew says, throwing me an envelope, I catch it easily and tap it with my wand.

"Brilliant, she's ready." I say, sitting down and summoning the Ironbelly files. I spend the rest of the morning making a shortlist of possible candidates and then at lunchtime Sara and I walk over to the duelling range.

"Don't go easy on me!" She warns, pulling her hair back into a tight ponytail.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

We duel for ten minutes and then I catch her with a stunning spell and she falls to the floor. I walk over to her and revive her and she groans as she comes to.

"Crap, how long was that?"

"Ten minutes, you were good though."

"Don't patronise me."

"I'm not, I'm one of the top five duellers on the reserve you…"

"I know that, I want to beat you!"

"Did you grow up with older brothers by any chance?" I say with a smirk, her competitiveness reminds me of Ginny.

"Yeah, five, why?"

"Just curious, do you need a break?"

"Of course I fucking don't, get ready!"

This time the duel lasts longer and her aim is better, I'm still able to dodge them and after a while I can see she's struggling so I disarm her.

"What the hell are you doing? A Dragon can't disarm me!"

"I know, but you're slacking, if you don't build up stamina then…" I don't see the slap coming but I do feel it.

"What was that for?" I ask, holding her wrist to prevent her from assaulting me again.

The next thing I know her lips are on mine, I pull her towards me but then Amber's face flashes in front of me and I pull away.

"I'm sorry, I can't." I say, stepping back.

"I'm not looking for a long term thing, you said I need to build up stamina." She says with a cheeky smile.

"Sorry, I still can't."

"Is it Amber?"

"No… I…" How can I explain it? "I just can't, I've got enough stuff going on at the moment with Tabitha and…"

"Amber, I get it, no worries. See you later, Weasley." She stalks past me and I stay still.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

He said he'd be home early, where the hell is he? I need him to take the screaming baby and I need to get out of this stupid flat before I destroy something.

She has been crying all day and I can't settle her or entertain her, I am at my wits end. I hear the door open and spin around.

"Hey…"

"Take her!" I say, thrusting the baby into his waiting arms, he takes her clumsily.

"Rough…"

"I'm going out!" I grab my coat and I'm almost out of the door when he grabs my wrist.

"Where are you…?"

"Let go of me, I don't know where I'm going but I… just let me go!" He lets go of me and I walk out of the flat and down into the lobby. Just nods at me as I cross the room and I open the door into the street.

I turn the corner and walk, just walk with no particular destination in mind. After twenty minutes I find myself at the enclosure for the Chinese Fireball and I sit down on the bench and watch it, wiping away the tears that insist on falling down my face.

Some days I really enjoy it out here, I like the freedom of being someone else, the freedom of being able to leave the flat. I like the routine of making products for Glinda, and making dinner for Charlie.

I like pretending to be Amber Jones and I like Charlie pretending to be Tabitha's father.

But some days, like today, I can't escape the reality that no matter how much I want to be Amber I am lying to myself. The difficulties I faced as Lavender Brown live on in my head and in Dora's face.

I miss Hogwarts, I miss my friends, I miss being able to leave Dora with Weasley and Fleur, I miss Madam Pomfrey telling me that I was doing a good job with Dora. I miss Professor McGonagall telling me that I was brave and strong.

I miss Neville and Hermione being Dora's god-parents, here we gave the jobs to Drew and Mada. I miss the castle and the grounds. I miss Flo and everything she stood for. I miss Parvati and the fun we used to have.

Some days, I miss Lavender Brown, in spite of how horrible it was to be her.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

I'm just putting a sleeping Tabitha in her crib when I hear the door open. I pull the blanket over the baby and set up the charms and then walk into the living room. She looks freezing, her face is as pale as a sheet and her lips have a bluish tinge.

But that isn't what makes me gasp, she looks lost, like she can't quite place herself. Her green eyes have evidence of recent tears and she bites her lip to keep herself from crying. I know it's something my mother would do but I can't seem to stop myself.

I move forward and pull her into a hug, she stiffens initially but then I hear the first sound of a sob and she relaxes into me and let's herself cry. I hold her and rub her back. I can't help noticing that her hair smells of lavender and strawberry, which I know is her preferred shampoo.

I walk us over to the sofa and we sit down. She pulls away and I hold her hands and rub them to try and warm them up, she smiles slightly and I do too. It's the first time we've hugged but it seems to have calmed her. I let go of her hands and point my wand at the fireplace which springs to life and then summon a blanket from my room and wrap it around her.

Almost without thought I stroke her cheek slightly and her green eyes lock with mine, I look away and withdraw my hand but rub her arms quickly.

"I'm sorry." She says quietly.

"Don't apologise to me, do you want a cup of tea, or a Firewhisky?"

"A combination would be nice, I haven't made dinner, sorry."

"We'll get a takeaway."

"Thanks, is she asleep?"

"Yeah, I'll watch her tonight."

"It's my turn." She says but the look in her eyes beg me to persist.

"I don't mind, I'll get the drinks, you can pick a menu." I pass her the stack of menus from the shelf under the coffee table and then walk into the kitchen and flick the kettle on.

I can see by the state of the kitchen that she's had a rough day. There are three baby books on the table, all open at continual crying, a cookbook showing a chicken stew with a muggle pencil next to it. The counter has three bottles of baby formula, none empty, a tonic of some kind, and a chicken that looks like it's been out too long.

I banish it and start the tea, I add a liberal amount of Firewhisky to her cup but not to mine, I think she needs me to be thinking clearly tonight.

When I return to the living room she's looking through a Chinese menu.

"Here you go." I put the tray down and pass her the drink, she puts the menu on her lap and takes it.

"Thanks, I'm so sorry it's just been one of those days."

"What happened?"

"She just wouldn't stop crying, I couldn't even finish my shower." She looks upset.

"Why don't you have one now, I'll order and I'll keep the tea warm?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"Umm… whatever I'm not fussy."

"I'll get a mixture then."

"Thanks Charlie." I smile and she gets up and heads into the bathroom.

I order a set meal for four, figuring we can reheat it for breakfast and lunch, and then look through my DVD's for a good film to watch. I find 'How to train your Dragon', that the twins bought me as a joke last Christmas, I haven't watched it yet and I figure it's probably amusing enough to cheer her up.

When she returns from her shower she's wearing pyjama bottoms and an old Gryffindor hoodie that I didn't realise she still had, she sees me looking at it.

"I know I shouldn't but..."

"If anyone see's it we'll say it's mine." I say as she sits down and takes a long sip of her tea, she closes her eyes at the moment the Firewhisky must hit and I can see she's savouring the moment.

Opening her eyes she looks over at me, nervously and then looks around before she speaks.

"Sometimes… I miss her." She says quietly, as if saying it out loud is a crime.

"What was she like?" I ask. She smiles slightly and tucks her legs underneath her.

"She was… girly, carefree, sure of herself."

"She might come back." I suggest but Amber shakes her head.

"She was lost even before she died."

We sit in silence for a few minutes and then the Chinese delivery man arrives and I pay for it and spread the containers out of the table.

"We won't bother with plates, here." I pass her some chopsticks. "I've got a DVD, have you seen one before?"

"A couple of times, my friends' parents had one." She looks at the title and laughs.

"Christmas present from the twins, I haven't seen it yet."

I put the film in and we eat as it plays, the food is good and she seems to be enjoying it. When we've finish we leave the food on the table and just relax back on the sofa.

Towards the end of the film I become aware of the fact that we're holding hands, I don't remember making the decision but I choose not to draw attention to it.

When the credits start rolling I look over at her and see that she's fallen asleep. I put my arms around her and lift her, she's so light although she has managed to put some weight back on since she moved in, she's lost the baby bump now and her fuller face looks much healthier, and prettier.

I lower her gently onto the bed and pull the blankets over. I levitate Tabitha's crib into my room and then change for bed. As my head hit the pillow I realise that I might be falling for her, it's a terrifying thought.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I wake to the sound of screams and for a few moments I'm unsure if I'm making them or if they're in my head but then I realise that it's Charlie. I sit up and glance at Tabitha but the charms prevent the noise from waking her.

I get out of bed and run into his room. He's tangled in the bed sheets and his shirt has risen up exposing a muscular chest and a small Dragon tattoo. He's moaning and then he screams and I move quickly to reach him.

"Charlie! Charlie, wake up!"

He sits up quickly and grabs my wrist tightly as if I'm attacking him.

"Charlie, it was a nightmare." I say firmly, trying not to panic.

He looks around wildly and then his eyes lock with mine and he takes a few deep breaths before relaxing slightly.

"Sorry… sometimes… so real." He gasps.

"I know." I say quietly, he's still holding onto me.

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"I think we're past apologising to each other for things outside of our control, don't you?" I say with a smile, his face softens and he nods. "Could I have my wrist back though?"

"What? Oh, sorry, did I hurt you?" He says, realising that he's holding me and dropping my wrist like it's a hot potato. I rub it with the other hand.

"It's fine."

"Let me see." He says, holding out his hands, I place the wrist on them and he examines the redness with his fingers.

"Honestly, it's nothing." He keeps his fingers on my wrist and when he reaches my hand I hold them, it's an awkward hold but he strokes my palm like he appreciates it.

I look up at him and realise that although he has the same eyes as his brother there is nothing of Ron in them. He looks wise and haunted at the same time. We keep looking at each other but before the moment becomes too intense I hear Tabitha cry.

I go to pull away but he hold my elbow as I get up so I look back at him.

"Thanks." He says, I nod and leave the room.

It takes nearly an hour to settle Tabitha again and during that entire time my mind is preoccupied with the almost intense moment that I just had with Charlie.

It's taken a lot of effort to let my guard down around him, the first few weeks were rough but now…

* * *

><p>AN So, any thoughts?

Next chapter; Charlies takes a trip to St. Mungo's, and then Amber, Charlie and Tabitha have a day out.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks.

witchprincess33- Lol, thanks!

Farrafelpies- They're both a bit sad and broken at this point.

LUG-14- Good luck with the homework!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Charlie.

I arrive at St Mungo's within two hours of getting Dad's message. I left work immediately and headed straight to the flat to talk to Amber, I could tell she was nervous about being on her own in the flat but she's got a big order this week so she said she'll be fine.

I offered to bring Tabitha but I could tell she wasn't keen so I left her with Hermione's mobile number if she needed anything. I hope I can be back soon.

"Hello, how can I help?" Asks the welcome witch.

"My sister in law is in labour; Fleur Weasley."

"Ahh… yes we've had a lot of your family in… third floor, room seven." I mutter a thanks and run up the stairs rather than taking the lift. I jog along the corridor and then see Harry holding a tray of drinks.

"Harry!" I call, he looks around and smiles.

"Hey, we're in here, they said it won't be much longer." I follow him into the relative's room and Ginny runs and hugs me.

"Hi Gin, alright?" I ask, looking down at her.

"Yeah, I can't believe it's happening!" She says, on a cloud of excitement. I greet the others and then walk across to the room and knock, my father opens it and hugs me.

"Charlie, you made it!"

"Yeah, just wanted to let you know I'm here, how…" My mother's hug nearly throws me back out of the room and then she pulls me in and makes me sit down.

"Hey guys." I say to Bill and Fleur. Even in labour Fleur looks stunning, and surprisingly calm. Bill on the other hand looks terrified.

"Glad you could make it, how're things?" He asks, trying a smile.

"Yeah, good thanks, how's it going, Fleur?"

"It ez exciting!" She says, smiling.

"Doesn't it hurt?" I ask, bemused.

"Numbing spell, it will wear off soon." Bill says.

"Charlie, how are the girls?" Mom asks, beaming at me.

"Good, really good. She says sends you her best."

"Ze is doing well?" Fleur asks, looking worried.

"Yeah, really well, this past couple of weeks have been good. Tabitha's teething though, I got home the other night and she practically threw her at me." I say with a smile.

"Oh the poor…" My mother's reply is cut short by a scream from Fleur. A healer comes in and my parents and I are demoted to the relatives' room.

I find myself sitting next to Hermione.

"Hermione, how are you?" I ask.

"I'm well thanks, how are you? How's the family?" She asks with a wry smile.

"We're all good thanks, have you got your phone with you?"

"Of course, do you need it?"

"No, I gave Amber the number though, just in case."

"Oh, I'll keep checking it then."

"How's school going, guys?" I say, addressing the group as a whole. They all answer positively so I turn to George.

"You good?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's nice that something good's happening today."

"Today?" I ask, bemused. The others look at me cautiously.

"It's been a year, Charlie." Says my dad delicately. It's like a bucket of cold water has been dropped over me and the colour must be draining from my face. How could I have forgotten?

"I…" I start but George puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't sweat it, you live abroad, it's been pretty much the only news for the past week here."

"Still… I'm sorry, I feel terrible!"

"Well, now the family has something positive to associate with today." Says Mom looking at George who nods.

"Right you are, five Galleons it's a girl!" The rest of them place bets but I'm still struggling with the date. I'm just about to get up for a walk when Bill walks in with a huge smile plastered across his face.

"It's a girl! Seven pounds, seven ounces!" He yells, my parents run over to hug him and in the chaos I slip out of the room and sink down to a bench further along the corridor.

A year.

A year since Fred died. A year since Tonks died. A year since Amber escaped that room.

All of them seem like significant things but my mind seems to focus on Amber. I don't know if she's realised the date, I doubt she has. What if she finds out and it freaks her out?

I know I need to get back.

"Charlie?" I look up and Bill is standing there, worry on his happy face.

"Hey, congrats!" I say, standing up and embracing him.

"Thanks, you okay? I hear you missed the date."

"Yeah, feel like a right knob."

"Does she know?"

"I don't think so, I think I should go back and tell her, I don't want her finding out from someone else."

"Okay, come and see the baby first though?"

"Of course." We walk to Fleur's room and Bill enters first. She's holding a tiny baby with a tuft of strawberry blond hair.

"She's gorgeous, guys." I say when I get closer, Fleur looks at me and smiles.

"Zank you, we will call her Victoire, it ez French for Victory."

"It's perfect." I say with a smile.

"I'm going to pop to the Cauldron with Charlie, it's an English tradition, wet the baby's head. We won't be long, he needs to get back." Fleur smiles and nods and we walk out of the room.

"I don't want to be too long." I say, after Bill pokes his head in the relatives' room and tells the others where we're going.

"You can have a pint with me, come on. I want to hear how it's going."

When we reach the cauldron we find a table in the corner and Bill uses a spell to prevent eavesdroppers.

"So?" He asks, after we toast to the baby.

"She's doing well, they both are, well Tabitha's teething but apart from that."

"Nightmares?"

"Not as many, a couple a week. She still takes the low dose anti-anxiety but she's really…" I struggle for a word, "… thriving." Bill looks at me shrewdly.

"Good, anything else?"

"No, why?"

"Just wondering."

I decide to take the risk.

"You can't tell anyone, not even Fleur or Dad." I say firmly.

"Of course." He says, his eyes are honest so I take a breath.

"Sometimes… I think I might be falling for her." It's obvious that whatever Bill thought I was going to say it wasn't that.

"What! Are you fucking serious?"

"Don't you think I know what it looks like? I take in a baby and a teenager and then… Merlin Bill, I didn't plan for this to happen!"

"You need to be really careful."

"Thanks, that's great. Any other pearls of wisdom from the teacher?" I ask sarcastically.

"Fuck, Charlie! She's… fragile!"

"You think I don't know that? I live with her, I know her!"

"Do you? Are do you know who she's trying to be?" I run my hands through my hair.

"I don't know. I just care about her, and Tabitha… she's amazing Bill, I feel like her father!"

"But you're not, this is a mission, don't forget that!"

"I…"

"What about her? Has she shown any… interest in you?"

"You don't understand, it's complicated!"

"I know it's complicated!" He shouts, but then his voice softens. "I know. I just don't want either of you to get hurt. I read the hell she went through, you don't come through something like that undamaged."

"She didn't."

"Does she talk about it?"

"No, I've tried a couple of times but…"

"Well before you even consider acting on… whatever it is you feel for her, you need to talk to her." I nod and take a long sip of my pint.

Now that I've voiced these feelings out loud I see how completely ridiculous and twisted they are. Not only is she only a teenager but she's been violated in the most horrible way. I need to stop this before it hurts either of us, or Tabitha.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

When I get back to the flat it's just gone eleven. I put my coat down and lock the door behind me before walking into her room. Tabitha is awake but silent, she sees me and starts gurgling. I lean down and stroke her face and then move over to Amber's bed.

Her face is twitching, likes she's dreaming, I wonder if she's having a nightmare but then I hear my own name and I think she must have woken up.

Kneeling next to her I see she is still sleeping and I decide to tell her I'm back.

"Amber, wake up." I say, shaking her softly. She wakes up gently and looks at me.

"I'm back."

"Charlie?"

"Yes, it's me. You alright?"

"Yeah, why are you back so soon?" She asks, rolling over onto her side so that she's facing me.

"She had a girl, Victoire, seven pounds something." She smiles.

"That's great, congratulations."

"They all say hello."

"Thanks, why did you come back?" I don't want to tell her that I missed her, that I was worried about her, that I'd forgotten the date.

"Just felt like I belonged here." I say, smiling. "Go back to sleep, Tabitha's awake, I'll feed her before I turn in." I stand up and she nods.

"Thanks." I lift the baby out of the crib and I'm nearly at the door when I hear her speak again, so quietly I could pretend not to hear.

"I missed you." I don't turn back to her and close my eyes as I reply.

"I missed you too." I walk out of the room before she can respond and take Tabitha into the kitchen.

She seems perfectly happy but if I don't feed her now she'll only wake up screaming in an hour. She takes the bottle and looks up at me as she feeds. Her eyes are the eyes of her mother's, before I charmed them.

When I place her back in the crib she looks sleepy, I watch her for a few minutes and the walk into my room and change into my pyjama bottoms, I usually have a T-shirt on as well, since she arrived, but for some reason I decide to leave it.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

When I wake up I realise that I had no nightmares, it's happening more and more now and it makes me feel like I'm really recovering. I sit up and pull on my dressing gown before walking over to the crib.

Tabitha is asleep but the angry colour of her cheeks make me suspect that this will not be an easy day with her. I walk out of my room and collide with Charlie who is just coming out of the bathroom. He has a towel around his waist but his chest is bare.

"Oh, morning." He says, blushing slightly.

"Good morning." I reply, as I walk past him I find my head turning to look at his back, he has two more tattoos that I realised. There's the dragon I've already seen, a rune symbol for family, and a name that I can't read. For some reason the name irritates me.

I walk into the kitchen wondering who it could be, Evie perhaps. Or some other ex-girlfriend. I try and shake these thoughts but I know what's happening and I'm annoyed with myself for getting too close. I need to think of Tabitha, who knows how long I'll be living here, the Order could move us at any time.

There's only one more case left and I know it's nearly over. Professor McGonagall is planning on coming around tomorrow and I'm both excited to see her and dreading the news she will bring. So far all of the men have sentences of at least five years, most of them had other charges as well so will serve more time. Proudfoot has been sentenced for life, the betrayal of the Auror code cost him dearly. I'm pleased that he will never have the chance to see his daughter.

I make both Charlie and myself a drink and then sit down at the table and flick through one of the Dragon books on there. After a few minutes Charlie walks in wearing a yellow t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Have you started breakfast yet?" I look at him, half offended. He laughs at my expression.

"I don't mean it like that, I mean don't eat breakfast because we're going out for the day."

"We are? Where?" He sits down and pulls a leaflet out of his pocket and passes it to me.

"A theme park?" I ask, looking at the leaflet and then him.

"Yep, I booked the tickets last week, Tabitha can come for free."

"Why are we going?"

"Well, firstly because it's fun, secondly because it's a weekend, and thirdly because if we spent the day inside you would be thinking about tomorrow." I stare at him for a moment and then nod.

"What time are we leaving?"

"Half an hour, I've got the pushchair and Tabitha's stuff ready. We're getting the train so we can feed her on the way."

"Where is it?"

"Couple of towns over, it will take about forty-five minutes but the scenery on the train is worth it. I'll go and get her ready." He stands up and is out of the room before I even register what he's said.

I smile and take a large gulp of tea. It's nice to do something fun, to be young again.

Two hours later we are standing in the theme park and watching a Ferris wheel go around, waiting for our turn.

"How do you think it stays up?" I ask, after all it is a muggle theme park.

"Dunno, strong metal, you're not going to wimp out on me are you?"

"Hardly." I snort. "I was just curious."

"I bought my Dad here a couple of years ago, he loved it."

When it's our turn we step into a small carriage and I hold Tabitha, the man puts the pushchair with many others and locks the gate. I'm squashed so tightly against Charlie that I can feel his leg shake with anticipation.

"I don't get why you're so excited, it's not fast!" I laugh.

"I know, but it's high!" He says with a broad smile.

The wheel turns and I place Tabitha on my lap, looking out of the carriage, she seems completely unfazed by the surroundings. Charlie holds one of her mittened hands and leans close to her.

"You see that, that's a big slide, and over there is a circus tent where they have elephants…" I lose track of his words as I watch him interact with her. I could never have predicted his relationship with her would take off this quickly, I can tell that he really loves her. I hope we can stay together forever, I shake my head to get rid of this childish thought and Charlie looks up at me.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

"About what?" He asks, leaning back so that he is taller than me as usual.

"The future." I reply vaguely.

"The future is what you make of it." He says quietly.

"I feel like the future can't start till tomorrow." He puts his arm around me in a gesture of reassurance and I find myself leaning into him.

"The future can start whenever you want."

"Can it?" I whisper, I'm surprised he can hear me over the wind. He removes his arm from my shoulder and lifts my chin up to look at him.

"Yes, it can." He says, softly. I look into his eyes and he looks back, unblinking. I feel his breath on my face and his eyes dart to my lips suddenly and I mimic him.

Tabitha suddenly makes a purring noise and we both look down at her, she is pointing at a bird that is standing on the carriage.

"It's a bird, Tabitha." Says Charlie in a faraway voice, I look away from the pair of them for a moment and gaze of into the middle distance.

What just happened?

* * *

><p>AN So things are getting interesting, I hope!

Next chapter; News from McGonagall doesn't go down well.

Pettybureaucrat- Thanks! And also thanks for your favourite story list, it's keeping me busy!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks.

Satar- Thanks.

Farrafelpies- Lol, thanks.

Luna- Don't worry Dora's father will stay in Azkaban for life. P.S. I'll update The Other Weasley on your birthday for you!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Charlie.

Later that night I'm lying in bed trying in vain to fall asleep. We had a great day at the park and I know that Tabitha enjoyed it too. We stayed at the park till four and then went into the town and found a small inn to have dinner at before heading back to the flat.

I look up at my ceiling and think about the Ferris wheel. I had nearly kissed her, I know I was seconds away from leaning in. I roll over and pick up a strip of pictures that we took in a photo booth, Tabitha looking away from the camera but both Amber and I smiling straight ahead.

Am I mad think that she also looked like she wanted to kiss me? Was it just my imagination or had her eyes dropped to my lips?

I groan and roll over again, trying to shut off my brain. It's nearly two and I haven't had a wink of sleep. Tabitha is in her crib in the corner of my room but I suspect that with all the new things she saw today it will be a fairly easy night with her.

Screaming breaks through my recollections of the day and I sit upright, checking to see if I imagined it. Another scream and a cry of 'no' comes and I jump out of bed. I put the charms on the crib as I pass it and run into Amber's room.

I pause at the door, looking at her. Her face is glistening with sweat and she looks absolutely terrified. She screams again and I dart forwards and perch on the edge of her bed.

"Amber, wake up!" I say loudly, rubbing her arm.

"No… Please… I don't know…"

"Amber!" I say, louder still. "It's a nightmare!"

Her eyes open quickly and she sits up gasping and panting. I move towards her to try and comfort her but she flinches away before looking at me. Her eyes are confused for a moment but then I can see her brain catching up.

"It's okay, you're safe." I say, softly.

"I… I'm sorry." She says, taking a big gulp.

"It's alright, take deep breaths." She nods and tries to do as I instruct but a sob breaks through and her breathing quickens again.

"Hey, hey, in… and out…" I keep saying it, and hold on to her shoulders, and eventually she manages to regain control and her whole body seems to relax.

"Better?" I ask, running both my arms down hers until they reach her bent elbows. She nods and then replies.

"Yeah, thanks." She says, quietly, I can see tears of shame working their way down her face and it's all I can manage not to wipe them away.

"It's okay, get some sleep." She nods and lies down, I'm about to stand up when I realise she's holding my hand and I look down at where they are. The next word is so quiet that I could have imagined it but then she says it again, slighter louder.

"Stay." I look at her face and I can see that she means it, she doesn't want to be alone. If I say no it can make things awkward, if I say yes…

I nod and she moves over, I make the bed larger with my wand and gently climb in next to her. The moonlight through her window is bright and I've noticed that she never closes the curtains. I swap my hands over so that I am still holding hers.

Lying on our backs side by side with our hands joined is how we fall asleep.

Several hours later her quiet noises of fear wake me up. I'm still on my back but she's rolled away from me and tucked into the wall, I roll over and put my hand on her shoulder and whisper into her ear.

"Amber, you're safe, I'm here." I say, softly. I see her eyes open and she nods to acknowledge that she heard me, I make to move away but again it's her that keeps hold of me.

I don't say anything but I wrap my arm around her lightly and hold her right hand, she squeezes it lightly and mutters a quiet thanks.

"I'm here." I say again, to her back and I see her nod. She relaxes into me and within a few minutes we are both asleep again.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

When I wake up I know that he's gone before I even open my eyes, when I do and roll over and see that the bed is still larger than usual, proof that it wasn't just a dream.

I know I should probably feel embarrassed for asking him to stay, to need him to keep the nightmares away but I don't feel it. Just an emptiness that he's gone.

I enter the kitchen a few minutes later and see him feeding Tabitha, the baby spits out the bottle when she sees me, drawing my presence to Charlie's attention.

"Oh hey, tea?" He asks, passing Tabitha and then the bottle to me.

"Yes please." I say, sitting down. "What time did she wake you?"

"Just after eight."

"That's pretty good."

"I know, I think that new tonic is helping."

"Yeah, I'll have to remember to get some more." He nods and puts the tea in front of me before sitting opposite me and taking a long sip of his coffee.

"What time is she coming?" I ask, stroking Tabitha's foot through her baby gro.

"About twelve she said, she's doing a talk this morning but she's coming straight from that." I nod but don't reply.

"How are you feeling about it?" He asks.

"I'm looking forward to seeing her."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but it's all I can focus on at the moment." He nods and then starts making breakfast.

Professor McGonagall will bring news of the final trial. I know it should be the end of it but I know it won't be, there are still three unclaimed names on my back and they are probably still alive and free, it would be too much to hope for them all to be dead.

The morning passes slowly and by ten to twelve I'm sat in the living room staring at the door. Charlie walks in with a newly changed Tabitha, she threw up on her previous outfit, and looks at me.

"A watched pot never boils." He says, with a smile, I turn to look at him.

"Of course it does, that expression makes no sense." I reply, he snorts and flies Tabitha over to the play mat which has replaced the coffee table. She squeals as she lands and I try to smile at them but it doesn't quite make it onto my face.

A few minutes later the door knocks, Charlie gets up to answer it and Tabitha's eyes follow him and then find me as soon as he is outside her field of vision.

"Hello Professor, nice to see you."

"You too, Weasley." I look up and see McGonagall enter the flat, she looks exactly the same as she did at Hogwarts, right down to the emerald robes and tight-bun hair style.

"Hello Professor." I say, standing up to greet her.

"My, you look well, Amber." She says with a slight smile. I nod.

"I'll make you some drinks and then take the baby out for a walk so you two can catch up." Says Charlie, leaving the room. Tabitha squeals as he steps over her and McGonagall looks at her.

"Wow, she has grown!" She says, smiling again. I bend down and pick Tabitha up and pass her over.

"Yep, she's quite heavy now." McGonagall takes her and Tabitha tries to grab her glasses. We both sit down and McGonagall sits Tabitha on her lap, the baby keeps looking up at the teachers face.

"How are you, Professor McGonagall?" I ask, trying to focus on Tabitha and not on my former teacher, I've forgotten how hard it is too look at her.

"I am well, things at Hogwarts are progressing well." I nod.

"How's Fleur?" I ask.

"Very well, Victoire is in the castle now and she is certainly brightening up the breakfast table! They send their best."

"Thanks." I say, looking down and fiddling with the charmed bracelet through sheer nerves. It's like the mixing of two worlds. McGonagall might be calling me Amber but she sees Lavender. Charlie knows Amber but Lavender is a mystery to him.

Charlie returns with the tea and sorts out our drinks before taking Tabitha off McGonagall and putting her in her pushchair, she fusses as she's strapped in but then realises that she's going out so starts giggling.

"She seems happy." McGonagall says.

"Ho, you should have been here last week, she screamed the place down!" Charlie says with a grin.

"She's teething." I explain. Charlie pulls on his jacket and opens the door.

"I'll take her up to the Fireball enclosure, be back in about an hour unless she turns."

"Okay, thanks." He smiles and leaves the flat.

There are a few moments of silence in the flat as we hear the sound of Charlie's footsteps fade but then McGonagall turns to me.

"So, how are things?"

"They're…" I pause as I struggle to find the right word, "…improving. I feel much better than when I first arrived. Charlie's been great, really understanding." McGonagall smiles.

"I am pleased."

"Yeah, me too. So, the last trial?" I can't take the suspense any longer. McGonagall looks uncomfortable and I know what she's going to say.

"They didn't prosecute, lack of evidence that he meant you any harm apparently. Kingsley tried but…"

"I understand." I say quietly, he was the man who had not wanted to hurt me, I know that but the fact remains that he still did.

"Is he… just… free?"

"He was fined, not much unfortunately. He had a very good lawyer." I nod and then take a sip of my tea.

"It's okay." I say quietly, McGonagall puts her hand on my knee.

"It is not okay, Amber, but it is how it is. I am sorry."

"It's not your fault, anyway it's over."

"It is over, tell me, what do you get up to then?" She asks with a brave stab at returning to normal conversation.

We spend the next hour talking about my new life here and when Charlie and Tabitha return I am just showing McGonagall the blanket I made for Tabitha.

"Hey, how was your walk?" I ask, standing up and walking over to lift a crying Tabitha out of the pushchair.

"It was alright until she got a bit grumpy, she's due a feed."

"I'll do it." I say, pulling off her coat and kissing her on her forehead.

"I would like to, if you don't mind?" McGonagall asks.

"Of course not, I'll grab the formula." I pass Tabitha over and then prepare the bottle and bring it in from the kitchen, Charlie is kneeling down by the fire and arranging the logs.

I return to the kitchen to make some drinks and I can hear Charlie and McGonagall talking quietly, it is only when Charlie shouts that I hear what they are saying.

"…DO YOU MEAN HE GOT OFF?" I can't hear McGonagall's reply and it does not seem to plicate Charlie so I walk back into the living room.

"Charlie, calm down." I say, firmly. He turns to me and I can see how angry he is.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! HE'S GOING TO BE FREE AFTER…"

"It's nothing to do with you, it's none of your business." I say, feeling guilty even as I say it. He deflates like a balloon.

"Not my business?"

"Charlie…"

"Not my business? I like to think I've spent six months making it my business, Amber!"

"This isn't Amber's business and it hasn't been six months, it's…" I look around to the calendar and freeze when I realise it says the month is May, the end of May.

I keep staring at the calendar as though I expect it to tell me it's lying, because it can't have been over a year, it's impossible.

I feel him move behind me and then he's breaking my eye line with his wide frame so I look up into his, now worried eyes.

"It… it can't be…"

"I didn't want to upset you."

"But… I didn't realise, that's terrible…"

"I forgot as well, it was on the day Victoire was born, George told me and I hadn't even realised." I feel for him and reach for his hand.

"It's nice that she was born then."

"I know, that's why I came back early, in case you found out. I didn't want you to be alone."

I nod and he smiles slightly but the sound of Tabitha crying breaks the moment apart and then I think we both realise that McGonagall is here. I walk back into the kitchen and wipe away the few tears that fell and finish preparing the drinks.

When I have regained control I carry the tray through and Charlie is sat across from McGonagall and Tabitha and the teacher appears to be explaining the court case result.

"…in an impossible situation, he would have been killed!"

"Then he should have!" Charlie looks up and spots me and I place the tray on the table before looking at him.

"Not everyone can be a Gryffindor, Charlie."

"How can you be so calm about this?" He asks with a crack in his voice. I look at Tabitha and then back at him and he nods, she is my strength.

* * *

><p>Charlie.<p>

I close the door behind McGonagall and feel quite relieved. Not that it wasn't nice to see her and I know that Amber enjoyed her visit but…

We've got a system between us now, Charlie and Amber, when Lavender Brown is brought up it makes her nervous and I hate that.

Amber is lying on the sofa watching Tabitha play on the mat, I grab the baby bath from the bathroom and for the first time we wash her together, without speaking or planning it.

Tabitha purrs in delight and Amber smiles as she watches her, I feel I need to apologise again.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" She asks, not looking up.

"For getting angry, it wasn't my place."

"No, it wasn't." She replies, still not looking at me.

"I just… hate the thought of what happened to you…"

"To Lavender."

"To Lavender, I makes me want to hurt them, the thought that he is free makes me feel sick, I…"

"Charlie, you have to let it go." She looks up at me and she looks a bit lost again. "If you don't it will eat you up inside, it is not your cross to bear."

"That's where you're wrong, Amber, it is my cross now too." I stand up and walk away before I can say anything else, anything I might regret.

After she puts Tabitha to bed we clean up the living room and tidy the kitchen, McGonagall ate with us but we insisted that she didn't need to clean the dishes. All the time we are doing these activities together there is silence, I'm wondering if she is wondering the same as I am, whether she will be alone tonight.

When ten thirty rolls around she walks into the living room, in her pyjamas and dressing gown and sits next to me, I'm holding a Dragon book but it would be a lie to say I'm reading. She starts some crochet but after ten minutes she sighs and puts it down, I look over at her.

"Night Charlie." She says, quietly. She stands up and walks out of them room, almost without thinking I stand and follow her, I find her staring into Tabitha's crib, I know she knows I'm there. I stand behind her and take one of her hands, she doesn't pull away. I take a deep breath.

"Do you want to be alone tonight?" I ask, in the calmest voice I can manage, she turns to me and shakes her head. I point my wand at the crib and set up the charms and then lead her into my room.

When we reach the bed I pull the duvet back and she climbs in first, she looks so small and fragile lying in my king sized bed. I sit on the edge of the bed and pull off my slippers and then climb in next to her and extinguish the light. For a few minutes the only sounds are our breathing but then I both hear and feel her roll over and look at me, I mimic her.

I left the curtains open because I know she prefers that, so I can see her face in the moonlight, we look at each other for a few moments and then I take another risk.

I shuffle towards her and roll back onto my back, I lift my left arm and after a moment she snuggles into me, it feels so natural that it terrifies me. I fit my arm around her and I can feel her hand on my chest, over my heart. I sigh deeply and close my eyes.

Has this gone too far to turn back now, and do I even want to?

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I wake hearing Tabitha's cries, I hear Charlie wake up next to me.

"I'll get her, go back to sleep." I say, sitting up. I hear him acknowledge that he heard me and then I move out of the room. Tabitha is sat up in her crib looking upset but when she sees me she smiles and puts her arms up.

I change her nappy and then sit with her for a while, until she falls asleep in my arms. When she does I put her back in her crib and then sit on the end of my bed, just staring at her.

My mind keeps replaying things, over and over again; the conversation with McGonagall, Charlie and I bathing Lavender, the calendar, the battle, the men…

"Hey." I look up when I hear his voice, he kneels in front of me and wipes away the tears that I didn't even realise were on my face, I close my eyes at his touch and that scares me. What's happening?

"What is it?" He asks, I open my eyes again and look and him and then Tabitha.

"I don't know, nothing really. You can go back to bed, I'm fine."

"You're crying." He points out.

"I didn't even realise, it's nothing."

"Are you scared?" He asks, sitting on the floor and leaning against the door.

"Always."

"He'll never touch you again, none of them will."

"You don't know that, there are still three names we don't know…"

"I'll protect you."

"Why?" I ask, turning to look at him. "Because of the Order?"

"Yes… no…"

"I'm going to have a shower, go back to bed."

"It's three in the morning."

"So?" I ask, opening the bathroom door and then stepping inside and shutting it. I turn on the shower but don't climb in, I sit on the toilet, the same scenes playing through my head and one question on my mind. Is it just a mission to him? Just some way to deal with his own guilt for not doing enough in the war, or is it more than that? More than a mission?

* * *

><p>AN So the trials are over, what did you think?

**I'm taking a two week writing break just to recharge my brain**

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks, it's a strange relationship I admit, give it time.

Luna- Thanks (I will update The Other Weasley on Tuesday for you.).


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Charlie.

I stay on the floor in her room for a long time, she's in the bathroom for so long that I suspect it's just to get away from me. When I can't stand the thoughts any longer I stand up and walk back into my room and climb into bed.

It's not because of the Order, I know that. It's because I care about her, because I care about Tabitha. I don't know what to do, should I back off? I have a fleeting thought of contacting my father and telling him that I can't do it anymore but then I dismiss it because I can't stand the thought of someone else protecting her, protecting them both. I don't trust anyone with them, I don't even trust myself to protect them.

The door to my room opens and she walks in, I don't look at her. She climbs in next to me and I can smell her shampoo, Strawberry and Lavender, I breathe it in deeply. I'm not sure if she knows I'm awake but before I can stop myself I open my mouth.

"It's not because of the Order, not anymore." She doesn't say anything and I'm not surprised, what can she say to that?

I roll over and face away from her and when I hear her fall asleep, I turn to look at her. At sleep is when she looks youngest, most vulnerable. None of her façade is present and the only thing that separates her and Lavender is her hair colour, with this light even that is faded. Her breathing is steady and I watch her for a few moments before I allow myself to join her.

Her screams wake me what seems like seconds later, she is convulsing so viciously it looks like she's having a seizure. I sit up quickly and jump off the bed before kneeling back on it.

"Amber, Amber! Wake up!"

"NO, please! No!" Her screams fade into a whimper but she is still asleep, I put my hands on her shoulder and shake her lightly.

Her eyes fly open but she is still tense and afraid, I let go of her and straighten up on the bed, giving her space to recover.

"Charlie?" Her voice is croaky and she is still shaking like a leaf.

"I'm here, you're safe, I promise."

She starts to cry and I lie down and hug her before I even think through my actions, she relaxes into me straight away and continues to cry. I hold her tightly and then, again without thinking, I kiss her hair. I don't know if she felt it and perhaps it's my imagination that she's calmer now.

"Do you think it will ever stop?" She asks, into my chest, I relax my arms and allow her to roll onto her back, my left arm still underneath her.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Perhaps not completely but… look how far you've come." She nods but doesn't reply. "You're incredible."

I lie back down so that we are lying side by side, Amber still on my arm.

"Do you really think so?"

"You know I do." She doesn't reply but nestles into my chest, I put my arm around her and then with my other hand I throw the duvet over us.

"Thank you, Charlie. I don't know if… you've helped me, so much. I feel like a different person sometimes, like she really is dead."

"She's still part of you, and of Tabitha."

"Did you know Tonks?"

"Yes." I reply, my throat thick.

"Did you date her?" I laugh lightly.

"No, we were best friends at Hogwarts but… I never saw her in that way."

"What was she like?"

"I thought you knew her?"

"No, she just died on me." The image of them both lying there flashes in my mind and I suddenly feel sick.

"Charlie? Are you alright?"

Fred. Tonks. Amber.

"Charlie?" I force my eyes open and look at her, she's not dead, she's right here.

"Amber?"

"Yeah, I'm here." I reach up and put my hand on the side of her face, forcing the images from my mind and focussing on her face, her living face.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"Don't apologise." I say, sitting up so that she is slightly below me. "She was funny and quirky and… brave, stubborn too."

"She sounds nice."

"She was, I lost touch with her for a bit but when we meet up during the war it was just like old times, like nothing had changed."

"That's the sign of a good friendship." She looks sad all of a sudden and I realise why, she lost her best friend, all of her friends really. She was shipped off to Romania at a moment's notice to live with a stranger, at a time when she needed her friends the most.

"Are you happy?"

"What?" She asks, clearly confused.

"Here, are you happy staying here?" I so want her to say yes, please Merlin let her say yes.

"Sometimes I think I am."

"When?"

"When I let myself be Amber, when I forget."

"Can I help?"

"You are helping."

"Can I do more? I want you to be happy, I need you to be happy."

"Why? As long as I'm alive…"

"No, that's not enough. It's not the mission I care about."

"Not anymore?" I shake my head.

"Why?" She looks into my eyes and that moment on the Ferris wheel is back and my eyes drop to her lips.

"Because…" I lean in and then we're kissing, for a terrifying moment I think that she has frozen, or that she doesn't want me to kiss her but then I feel her lean towards me and return the kiss, I'm so relieved that I want to cry out but I don't. I feel her hand on my neck and I find one of my hands on the back of her head.

* * *

><p>Lavender.<p>

I feel his hand on the back of my head and I allow myself to enjoy the kiss for another moment before I pull away. As soon as I do he backs off so suddenly that it's almost comical. He looks terrified and for a moment so am I.

"I… I'm sorry…" He splutters.

"Are you?" I ask, I'm sure the disappointment shows on my face.

"No… I just…"

"Let's just sleep, shall we?" I suggest, he nods and we both lie down, he lies as straight as a poker and without touching any part of my body and while a part of me appreciates the gesture I need him to be closer.

Summoning all of my Gryffindor courage I shuffle closer to him and I feel him relax, his hand finds mine and I squeeze it slightly, his thumb strokes the back of my hand and I close my eyes. It's been a long night.

When I open my eyes in the morning I am facing towards the window and Charlie is lying behind me with his arm over me, the memory of the kiss has me both terrified and exhilarated. We've crossed a line, and I don't know what's on the other side. It's too much to ask that we could have a normal relationship, we've seen each other at our most vulnerable, our weakest.

The alarm charm goes off and Charlie moans slightly before muttering the counter charm to silence it. I roll onto my back, his arm still over me and watch him wake up. I see the same memory and conflict form in his eyes as he looks at me.

"Morning, good sleep?" He asks, still not moving his arm.

"Yeah, you?" He nods but doesn't elaborate.

"What are you doing at work today?"

"Umm moving the Ironbelly into the mating enclosure, then confirming her mate."

"Sounds like a good day."

"Yeah, might be a long one though, don't worry if I'm late." I nod but don't reply, I always worry when he's late.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Finish the blanket for Mrs Pearson, and I might start making the mittens and scarves for the shop, or plan the designs at least."

"She'll love the blanket, it looks great." I smile.

"I hope she will. Will you want dinner?"

"Yes please, I'll reheat it if I'm late."

"Okay, any ideas on what you'll want?" He lifts up his head slightly to look out of the window, there's a blizzard.

"Oh, crap! Something warm, that curry last week was nice."

"Sure, I'll look through the books and see if there are any other curry recipes, I wouldn't want you getting bored of my cooking." He smiles.

"I don't think you need to worry about that. I'm going to pop into the shower, I'll check on Tabitha, get some more sleep." I nod and close my eyes but then I realise he hasn't moved so I open them again, he's looking at my face looking worried.

"Are we okay?" He asks.

"Yes, we just need to…"

"Take it slow, think it through?"

"Yeah, exactly. No pressure, I don't know if I can… let go of Lavender in some things."

"Okay, no pressure. Have a good day."

"You too, don't get burnt." I close my eyes as he starts to move off the bed.

"I'll try not to, no pressure though." I open my eyes and laugh, he turns back and grins at his joke, and then he's gone.

I hear him open the door about half an hour later but I don't open my eyes, I hear him move about the room and then the charm lets me know Tabitha is awake, and crying.

"I'll get her." He says, I open my eyes and he is topless, about to pull on his T-shirt. For a moment I'm stunned and then he sees me looking and I snap out of it.

"No, I'll go." I climb out of bed and pass him, still looking smug, Tabitha is sitting up in the crib.

"Charlie!" I cry, he runs in, holding one shoe.

"What? What is it?"

"She's sitting up!"

"Merlin's sake! I thought something was wrong!"

"No, no, she's sitting up, on her own!"

"I can see that, let me just sit down and let my heart rate return to normal." He sits on my bed with his hand on his chest.

"Sorry." I say, before reaching down to pick her up, he puts his arm out to stop me.

"Wait, the camera, let me get it." He runs out and returns seconds later with his camera, he snaps a couple of shots of Tabitha alone before looking at me.

"Come on, sit next to the crib." I obey and reach my hand in so that Tabitha can hold my hand, she is purring and squealing at all the attention.

"Your turn." I say, standing up.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't be daft, Daddy." I say with a smile, he chuckles and then I take a couple of photo's of them together.

Tabitha starts to get grumpy, she wants food, so I put the camera down and pick her up.

"Who's Mummy's clever little girl?" I say, my voice almost cracking with happiness, I feel like I could cry, in a good way.

Charlie stands up and puts his arm around me and kisses Tabitha on the head, he then pauses for a moment before doing the same to me.

"You're going to be late."

"Oh yeah, see you later, have a good day." He disappears.

* * *

><p>AN I'm back! I'm trying to write a book at the moment so I'll only be updating my fanfiction once a week, please don't make me feel guilty!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks.

Luna- Thanks, one of the free men may make an appearance….

Nightshroud92- I know, stupid justice system!


End file.
